The word ‘am’ is a verb. Specifically, it is the first-person singular present form of the verb ‘to be.’ In English, ‘to be’ serves as a crucial linking verb that connects the subject of a sentence with a subject complement, which can be an adjective or a noun.
For example, in the sentence ‘I am happy,’ ‘am’ links the subject ‘I’ with the adjective ‘happy,’ describing the state of being of the subject. Similarly, in ‘I am a teacher,’ the verb ‘am’ connects the subject ‘I’ to the noun ‘teacher,’ indicating the identity of the subject. Hence, ‘am’ plays a vital role in expressing existence, identity, and qualities in sentences.