''Yes, l'm!'' a common mistake, does it have any rules?

Question

Hi all!

Recently, l noticed that l'm making a very common mistake, l know that when there isn't any word after ''will or am or even have'' it's never written in a short form, like:

• will you be there tomorrow?
• Yes, l'll ( X )
• Yes, l will ( right )

= = = = = = = = = = = = =

• have you cleaned your room yet?
• Yes, l've ( X )
• Yes, l have. ( right )

But sometimes it can be very confusing, like in this sentence:

Robert: ''Are you a student?'' me: ''Yes, I'm, Robert''

Here there's a word after the verb to be, so why is this wrong and why do l need to say: Yes, I am, Robert?

Please tell me your thoughts and opinions about this

This is a discussion rather than a straight grammar question, so feel free to express your opinions, add another grammar structures like this one, or even ask about anything similar to this!

Good question. I never thought about this before. - pesta, Jul 29, 2011

Thank you Pesta :) - 00b6f46c, Jul 30, 2011

Answer 1

Robert: "Are you a student?"

me: "Yes, I'm, Robert"

Given the two commas, here's how I would interpret the above exchange:

Robert and I had been in the same class together for a long time, in fact so long that I even knew his name because I had heard the teacher use it so many times.

So when he asks me the question, "Are you a student," I wish to emphasize that he should already know I'm a student

Another way I could have phrased it might be: "Yes Robert, I am." Meaning, if I know your name, then you should know that I'm a student!

so wuld I, jeje, however, I did not even notice this until you pointed it out, jeje, but you are perfectly right, it should be , yes, I'm Robert. - 00494d19, Jul 30, 2011

Wow this makes sense, l wonder why didn't l think of that? :roll: thank you so much Terri! - 00b6f46c, Jul 30, 2011

Answer 2

Robert: ''Are you a student?''

me: ''Yes, I'm, Robert''

Hola, Lovely. Great question.

To me, this just sounds very funny! It sounds like you are saying, "Yes, I'm Robert" (As in: "yes, my name is Robert")

However, you want to say "Yes, I am, Robert" (as in: yes, I am a student, Robert").

So, to answer your question, when using "I'm", you sound like you are introducing yourself instead of confirming the fact that you are a student.

---

Ok, now I'm going to throw in something that's a little difficult. It doesn't really have much to do with your question, but it does involve a sentence you used.

Sometimes, an English sentence can be interpreted depending on where you pause in your sentence (Does that make sense?)

I'm going to use this example sentence: Yes I am Robert (No punctuation whatsoever)

Here is our question: "Are you Robert?"

Using our example sentence, we could respond, "Yes, I am Robert". That little comma after "yes" signifies a tiny pause after we say the word "yes".

But, the entire meaning of the sentence, "Yes I am Robert" could change if you take a little pause right after the words "yes" and "am".

"Yes, I am, Robert" could easily be the response to the question, "Are you a student?" (but this question would have to be asked by someone named Robert!)

Do you understand how sometimes sentences can be interpreted multiple ways? That's why pauses and your tone are muy importante.

---

will you be there tomorrow?

Yes, l'll ( X )

Yes, l will ( right )

You are absolutely right about these being incorrect and correct. Whenever using contractions in English, you should always have something (preferably another verb) following the contraction.

have you cleaned your room yet?

Yes, l've ( X )

Yes, l have. ( right )

Remember I said this...you should always have something (preferably another verb) following the contraction.

"Yes, I've" would be very strange to hear, but, "Yes, I've finished" would be completely fine since it's followed by another verb.

---

Ooooh, here's another thing: I was reading this book a few days ago, and it said something like (now, don't quote me on this, but it was something like this...), "I've nothing but the bag on the back." To be honest, I, a native English speaker, thought this sounded strange, but it makes sense. I've just never read anything like that before.

Great answer! I'll note that if you say "Yes, I am a student, Robert" you could change it to "Yes, I'm a student, Robert" - gintar77, Jul 29, 2011

Gracias, gintar - SonrisaDelSol, Jul 29, 2011

Thank you so much Sonrisa, this explains it all! in the last one ''l;ve nothing but the bach...'' here the '''ve'' is a short version of the verb '''to have'' not the helping verb tense. - 00b6f46c, Jul 30, 2011

This is It Sonrisa - pacofinkler, Jul 30, 2011

Answer 3

Don't ask me why, but negative contractions don't need a word after it:

• No, I won't.
• No, I haven't.
• No, I can't.
• No, I don't.
• etc.

I suspect it's because it isn't standing alone in the clause, because the subject (in this case "I") comes before it.

Thank you Gintar! - 00b6f46c, Jul 30, 2011

This is I really good point. I never thought of it. - JoyceM, Jul 30, 2011

Answer 4

• will you be there tomorrow?
• Yes, l'll ( X )
• Yes, I'll be there (also correct)
• Yes, l will ( right )

= = = = = = = = = = = = =

• have you cleaned your room yet?
• Yes, l've ( X )
• Yes, I've cleaned my room (also correct)
• Yes, l have. ( right )

Lovely, I don't know the 'rules', but I can't think of an instance where you can use a contraction like this in English without something following. Does my example make sense?

l understand your ecample and l know it makes more sense, but in some cases you smilpy have to say ''l'll'' without following it with anything. - 00b6f46c, Jul 30, 2011

In my 56 years, I've never said "I'll" by itself. - Jack-OBrien, Jul 30, 2011

Nor me in my even more years. - ian-hill, Jul 30, 2011

Give an example of such a case. - samdie, Jul 30, 2011

Some contractions cannot stand alone and need an object. "I'm"; "I've";"I'll all need a direct object. I'll {what?}...continued - foxluv, Jul 30, 2011

If answering a question, you can say I will {do it}...object understood, but not a contraction. - foxluv, Jul 30, 2011

Answer 5

Hi Lovely. I think this article might help. We usually use contractions in spoken English, but we should really write out the whole phrase when we are writing something (formal English) Look here for many examples of contractions. contractions

This article is very helpful thank you so much! - 00b6f46c, Jul 30, 2011

Answer 6

Well, "Robert" is not part of the clause. If you were to say:

Me: Hello, what's your name?

Robert: Hi, I'm Robert.

This is correct because "Robert" is part of the clause.

oh l see your point gintar, thank you! - 00b6f46c, Jul 30, 2011

Answer 7

I have heard the final-word contraction on British TV, "..., innit?" ("..., isn't it?"). This is used like Spanish uses "..., ¿verdad?"

You have not heard "innit" by a cultured person. It is like using "ain't." - territurtle, Jul 30, 2011

''innit'' oh sweet! l'll have to learn the whole grammar lesson again from the beginning! l wonder how is it pronounced? - 00b6f46c, Jul 30, 2011

Lovley - don't learn "innit" - it is awful English. - ian-hill, Jul 30, 2011

No, definitely don't learn innit. Well maybe so you understand if someone else uses it in speech, but it is not good English. - MaryMcc, Jul 30, 2011

Answer 8

I believe I have heard this use in British TV shows, but not in America ones, and not in America in any place or from anyone.

interesting! - 00b6f46c, Jul 30, 2011

Right. Americans use "ain't it?, instead. (So much better.) - samdie, Jul 30, 2011

Answer 9

I'm Swedish and I find this question very interesting. If in doubt I would say you can always avoid the contraction: Yes Robert, I am a student. No, Robert, I am not a student. Although saying ' I will not do it sounds very unhelpful, worse than' I won't do it'. The pause for the comma is very crucial in English.

l agree, thank you! - 00b6f46c, Jul 30, 2011

Answer 10

I guess a rule is:

that the positive contractions "I'm" "I've "you've he's etc etc can not be used alone at the end of a sentence or as short answer.

Also be aware that because we use contractions in spoken and informal writing we can UN- contract them for emphasis.

Example - No, I won't - No, I will not.

BUT ....

"Yes, I will" can not be contracted to "Yes, I'll"

Makes sense Ian, thank you! - 00b6f46c, Jul 30, 2011

Answer 11

Wow what an interesting discussion. I have used these contractions all my life without even thinking of there being any rules governing when they are used.

Thank you Wilbur, l did the same but never wondered why! - 00b6f46c, Jul 30, 2011

Answer 12

Terri said:

"Yes Robert, I am." Meaning, if I know your name, then you should know that I'm a student!

I think this is definitely the right way to use it, as it won't be confusing as the other one.

For example:-

1. Robert: Lovely, you're not really helping!
2. lovely: Yes l am, Robert! (confusing)
3. Yes, Robert, l'm. (wrong)
4. Yes, Robert, I am. (correct?)

Thank you so much everybody for the help and the answers!

#2 and #4 are both correct. I don't find either of them confusing. :-) - gintar77, Jul 30, 2011

I agree gintar...both are correct. #2 gives the impression of "Robert, you're an idiot{anger}" & #4 "Sure thing, Robert". - foxluv, Jul 30, 2011

Answer 13

The answer I gave my student the other day for this is that it's about emphasis. If you're not emphasising the verb then you say "Yes." and if you are then you have to say "Yes I am", and you can't say "Yes, I'm" purely because then the subject is being emphasised instead of the verb. The reason you can do this in the negative is because when you say "No, I won't", you are still emphasising the verb. If you don't emphasise the verb you can say "No." This also works for "No, I'm not." because then you are emphasising not. He then asked me why it's important to emphasise not instead of the verb but unfortunately that's not necessarily logical. Negative sentences often have very different rules to positive sentences in English.

Answer 14

The contractions I'll I've are considered auxillary verbs meaning they are helpers and need another verb to go with them. I'll be there (be is the main verb), I've cleaned my room (clean is the main verb). If you don't use the contraction: I will or I have, then "will" and "have" are main verbs and you don't need an auxillary verb. Negative contractions: I can't, I won't, etc - You are not contracting the verb in these words, you are contracting the word NOT which is an adverb. (I can't = I can not) It gets a little weird (I won't = I will not) but still you are contracting NOT and not contracting the verb - therefore you do not need an auxillary or helper verb.

As to your example: ''Yes, I'm, Robert'' -- the same holds true. I'll is an auxillary verb and needs a verb to go with it. Robert is the object of the sentence and a noun so you can't use it. therefore you need am.

You should also use I am for clarification - otherwise it is hard to tell whether you are talking Robert or saying that your name is Robert

I hope this helps and that I didn't confuse you even more.