Learn English – What part of speech does “here” have in “I am here”

adverbsparts-of-speech

What part of speech does here have in the following sentence?

I am here.

I say that in that sentence, here must be an adverb because:

  • It modifies the verb am by describing where I am.
  • Am is a “being” verb in this instance, not a “linking” verb.

My friend contends that here is a noun because the word here is, in this instance, defined as this place, which in Merriam-Webster is the definition for the noun here.

Best Answer

Both you and your friend are incorrect; sorry.
But that's not your fault; you're at a disadvantage,
if you take your definitions of "part of speech" from English books.
They're hopeless; pay no attention to them.

Here is a proximal deictic locative predicate in the sentence

  • I am here.

It does not modify the verb am.
It does not modify anything, in fact.
(Be) here is the Predicate in the sentence.

The logical form is

  • HERE (I)

The am is indeed an auxiliary verb, meaning -- if anything -- 'be located (at)'.

Executive Summary: Calling something an "adverb" is a confession of ignorance.

Related Topic