the person you are writing

[Verona_82]

Hello,

I have to find a mistake in the sentece below and correct it.

Type the address of the person you are writing.

Would American speakers find this sentence good without to at the end?

Thank you.

 

[Rover_KE]

You didn't ask about British speakers but I'll tell you anyway.

It needs to at the end.

My guess is that American speakers will concur.

Rover

 

[Verona_82]

Thank you, Rover.

I didn't ask about British speakers because I knew what they would tell me

Does the lack of replies from AmE speakers mean they do concur?

 

[Rover_KE]

I think we can take it that they do.

Rover

 

[emsr2d2]

Although I've certainly heard/read AmE using, for example "Write me!", "Please write your mother soon", "He wrote me last year" I don't think I've ever seen it used the way you used it in your original question.

"Can you tell me who you're writing?"
"Tell me the postcode of the person I'm writing."

For some reason these sound very unnatural to me even though they clearly follow the same pattern as my first examples, in not using the word "to".

As you already knew, in BrE, we would always use "to".

 

[Barb_D]

The Americans were all out watching parades, going to the beach, or having cookouts today. Some of us even remembered to honor our veterans.

I'm fine without the "to" in spoken English although I would include it in careful writing.

 

[SoothingDave]

I'd throw a "to" in there.

 

[Barb_D]

But would you flinch if someone said it to you?

 

[SoothingDave]

No. It doesn't grate or anything.

 

[Barb_D]

Same here.

 

[TheParser]

Hello,

I have to find a mistake in the sentece below and correct it.

Type the address of the person you are writing.

Would American speakers find this sentence good without to at the end?

Thank you.

NOT A TEACHER


(1) Because three other Americans have already answered you, I have

finally found the courage to add my two cents' worth.

(2) The answer seems to be some Americans would be quite

comfortable without "to" -- at least in conversation.

(3) And one poster reminded us of a vital point: the U.S.A.

is a large country. Language patterns differ from section to

section.

(4) I spent yesterday googling. I found only two examples of

"a person you are writing." All the other results had "to."

But almost no results had the 100% proper "the person

to whom you are writing" or even "the person whom you are

writing to."

(5) As you know, "all" Americans accept:

"Well, Mona, it's been wonderful talking to you for the last

3 hours, but I have to hang up now. I promise I'll write

you real(ly) soon."I think that our British friends require:

"write to you."

(6) Thus, as the other Americans said, probably some?

many? Americans would not have a heart attack if someone said

"Type the address of the person you are writing" or "Hey, dude,

who are you writing?" (Answer: I'm writing my parents.)

(7) And if you threw in a relative pronoun, I think that the omission of

"to" would even be more "acceptable" (in speech; in certain sections

of the country, etc.):

Please type the name of the person that you are/ you're writing.
Please type the name of the person whom you are/you're writing.
Please type the name of the person who you are/you're writing.

I personally like the first two sentences. Just hearing the relative

pronoun would automatically suggest to me the missing preposition.

After all, that ending "to" looks pretty ugly. And it is not necessary.

If I say, "I know who you're writing," the meaning is very clear.

If I say, "Who are you speaking?" I clearly need the "to."

(8) The bottom line: Use "to" and make everyone happy.

THANK YOU for your question. The American posters'

answers really helped me to better understand American English.

I am a native speaker, but a rather uneducated one.



Respectfully yours,


James

 

[Verona_82]

Your replies helped me better understand how English works.
Thank you very much!