What's the shortest complete sentence you can construct in the English language? If you said "Go," you're in good company—linguists and grammarians widely accept this two-letter imperative as the winner. But there's a twist: some argue that "I am" deserves the title instead.

The case for "Go" is straightforward. It's a complete sentence with an understood subject—"you"—which is standard for imperative sentences. When you command someone to "Go!" or "Stop!" or "Sit!", the subject is implied. You don't need to say "You go" for it to be grammatically complete. Dictionary.com and most grammar authorities back this up.

The "I Am" Challenge

"I am," on the other hand, presents a grammatical puzzle. It has both a subject (I) and a predicate (am), so why wouldn't it qualify?

The issue is that "am" is a linking verb, not an action verb. Grammarians argue that linking verbs require a complement—something that completes the thought. You don't just "am"—you "am something." I am tired. I am Rupert. I am here. Without that complement, the sentence feels incomplete.

However, context matters. If someone asks, "Are you the one who called?" responding "I am" works perfectly as a complete sentence. It's elliptical—it leaves out understood words—but it's still complete in context.

The Verdict

"Go" wins the technical battle because it's a non-elliptical sentence—it doesn't rely on understood words beyond the standard imperative "you." It's a complete predicate that needs no further explanation.

That said, other two-letter imperatives work just as well:

Do.
Be.
Hi. (if you count interjections as sentences)

English is full of these tiny, powerful sentences. They prove that brevity doesn't sacrifice meaning—sometimes, less really is more.

Related Tags