writing you vs. writing to you

[marisa1rodriguez]

Good morning,

I'm correcting a letter that one of my business students has to send to another company and he wrote "I'm writing you about...". I know I've heard this many times and it actually sounds good but, isn't "I'm writing to you about..." better? Please help!

Thank you,

Marisa

[moggy]

Originally Posted by marisa1rodriguez

Good morning,

I'm correcting a letter that one of my business students has to send to another company and he wrote "I'm writing you about...". I know I've heard this many times and it actually sounds good but, isn't "I'm writing to you about..." better? Please help!

Thank you,

Marisa

Hi Marisa,
The first is what an american might say, the second is the English form, so both are correct.

[I'm With Stupid]

Originally Posted by moggy

Hi Marisa,
The first is what an american might say, the second is the English form, so both are correct.

Really? I would say that "I am writing you..." is just wrong full stop. I've never seen any native English speaker use it.

[engee30]

Originally Posted by I'm With Stupid

Really? I would say that "I am writing you..." is just wrong full stop. I've never seen any native English speaker use it.

Which can only prove the fact that you are British by birth, by nationality, by way of thinking, and the like!

Check it out (type in 'write', and check the paragraph dealing with 'A LETTER'):
Possible entries for 'write'

[moggy]

Marisa, ask one of the American members...I'm sure I'm right here!

[Niall]

Well either way.
I find the phrase horrible whether you omit the word to or not.
I much prefer to say I write. As much as the two things are fundamentally the same thing, saying I am writing just seems to me like a statement of the obvious - that is, you are obviously writing, why bother stating it?

[Anglika]

The letter is a formal business letter, so it must be "I am writing to you". "Writing you" is colloquial and informal.

[crazedalamo]

You should not use either version. As someone else has written, when I receive a letter starting "I'm writing to you about ....." I just think how unimaginative and lazy. As my English teacher used to say, never state the obvious. Obviously you're writing to me because I have the letter here in my hand!

As an alternative, just say what you want without this superfluous preamble.

for example:

"I wish to introduce myself ........" not "I’m writing to introduce myself ......."

Hope this helps

[Micaela]

Originally Posted by Niall

Well either way.
I find the phrase horrible whether you omit the word to or not.
I much prefer to say I write. As much as the two things are fundamentally the same thing, saying I am writing just seems to me like a statement of the obvious - that is, you are obviously writing, why bother stating it?

Tomorrow I am taking my First Certificate Exam and while studing I came across this thread which states exactly mi opinion about teh way we are made to write formal letters.

The thing is that we are tought to do it in that way. All of my books say that the way to start a formal letter is saying:"I am writing to you in order to/ in connection with/ regarding/ about your/to apply for/ to ask about, etc..