"Here I am" sounds good; "Here I'm" sounds really strange. Why?

[BobESL]

I've told my ESL students that I'm has the same meaning as "I am". But the other day I came across this (written by someone from Spain): "Here I'm if you need me." Sounds really strange, right? It has to be "Here I am if you need me."

Also ... Where's my book? Oh! Here it's. (But "Here it is." would sound perfectly OK.)

Also ... Are you the teacher? Yes, I'm. (But "Yes, I am." again sounds fine. As does, "Yes, I'm the teacher.")

Is there some general rule as to when the contraction should not be used?

Thanks, Bob

 

[emsr2d2]

Re: "Here I am" sounds good; "Here I'm" sounds really strange. Why?

I've told my ESL students that I'm has the same meaning as "I am". But the other day I came across this (written by someone from Spain): "Here I'm if you need me." Sounds really strange, right? It has to be "Here I am if you need me."

Also ... Where's my book? Oh! Here it's. :cross: (But "Here it is." would sound perfectly OK.)

Also ... Are you the teacher? Yes, I'm. :cross: (But "Yes, I am." again sounds fine. As does, "Yes, I'm the teacher.")

Is there some general rule as to when the contraction should not be used?

Thanks, Bob

The simple answer is that a contraction like this can't be the final word in a sentence or a clause.