The Power of I Am

I AM

Is I AM a complete sentence?

Are You Sure?

Really Sure?

When I asked this question in my college composition classes, most were sure it was not a complete sentence. A few waffled. You could see their hands twitching so wanting to raise them and say, “Yes,” but not wanting to vocalize a wrong answer. Not wanting to vocalize a wrong answer usually kept students hand down. At least it did in the beginning of the semester – never at the end.

I AM

God said it.
Does God talk in Fragments?
Incomplete thoughts?

I AM

It has 1) a subject and 2) a verb,

I (Subject) + AM (Verb)

and 3) No Subordinating Conjunctions in front of the subject

” God said to Moses, “I am who I am . This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ “(Exodus 3:14)

I AM

Short! Powerful! Saying it All!

Are you Happy?

I AM

Are you a Writer?

I AM

Are you a Child of God?

I AM

Are you a Homeschooler?

I AM

Are You a Sentence Writer?

I AM

Two words! The Power of Two!

Two word sentences are not detail sentences. Two word sentences do not gossip greatly. Yet, two-word sentences can carry you far, like two legs. Two words can make an awesome sentence. Two word sentences can affect your letter, essay, journals or paragraphs.

Two word sentences are to your writing what cayenne pepper and salt are to a burrito, a remoulade sauce, shrimp and pasta.

The next time you write, try smaller sentences mixed in with larger sentences mixed with medium sentences. Sentence diversity keeps eyes open by the power of sometimes just a two-word sentence. Do not be afraid of the Power of Smaller Sentences!

Are You a Supporter of Shorter Sentences?

I AM

Are You Believe in the Power of I Am?

I AM

 

I wrote “The Power of I Am” for The HomeSchool Post where I am a guest contributor for the writing assignment section. A college composition instructor from 1985 until last year when we moved, I love teaching students how to develop writing skills for the workplace from letters of application to grant writing. Though I am no longer in the classroom, I still love helping students grow their writing. One of the questions students often asked was how to turn their B writing into an A (I graded on Content, Organization and Style). Style often stiffled a student’s grade. Sentence diversity is one way to improve style – to avoid monotonously long sentences connected with coordinating conjunctions (, and, but, or, for, nor, so, yet). Please note – a sentence that goes on and on and on is not a run-on sentence. It is just tediously long. A run-on sentence consists of 2 sentences incorrectly joined with a comma (I run, I gasp – which should be I run. I gasp.). I’m sure I should now be experiencing the sensation similar to removing my beach-cover-up to reveal myelf in a bikini, which is not a pretty sight (and which I never wear – because it is so scary) – except, I have just revealed myself to be a language wonk – which I’m sure is just as terrifying.

Below are directions on helping your growing writer improve their style through sentence diversity.

Editing Assignment: Revise sentences in a writing – starting from the first sentence, using a small, medium and large sentence pattern. Keep in mind that a large sentence pattern usually contains a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, for, so, nor, and yet). Just break that sentence into two pieces for medium or smaller sentences. Training your writing to utilize all size sentences builds stronger writing.

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