In very formal English, I ask: shall one says:
- I've written to you a letter (or: I've written a letter to you)
and
- I've bought for/to you a bike (or: I've bought a bike for/to you)?
Tnx in antecipation!
Ie - B r a z i l
2006-12-06 04:56:54 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
"I have written a letter to you" is the correct one. The direct object should follow the verb "written" is the rule, but many times people use it wrongly, that's why both are commonly used.
The same as in the other sentence, the correct one is "I have bought a bike for you, because "bike" is the direct object of the word "bought", while "you" is the indirect object. but "I have bought you a bike" is accepted because it is commonly used.
Grammar is not decided by English experts or scholars but by the majority of people. What was correct two hundreds years ago, might be wrong today because most of the people today speak differently or attach different meanings to words from those who lived two centuries ago.
2006-12-06 06:08:57 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
I've written a letter to you, I've bought a bike for you.
2006-12-06 04:59:51 · answer #2 · answered by 132 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have written a letter to you and I have bought a bike for you.
2006-12-06 04:59:14 · answer #3 · answered by Faith 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Should be:
I have written you a letter
and
I have bought you a bike
2006-12-06 05:00:06 · answer #4 · answered by kirroyale3 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I've written a letter to you ...
I bought a bike for you...
2006-12-06 05:05:14 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've written you a letter.
I've bought a bike for you.
2006-12-06 04:59:38 · answer #6 · answered by Melli 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Both of the "written" sentences are correct, but both are rather formal.
I actually wouldn't choose either one of the "bought" sentences. I would say "I've purchased a bike for you" or if you HAVE to use bought, the first would be better, in my opinion, but would need to be edited to read, "I've bought, for you, a bike". The "have" of the contraction in this instance, though, is completely unnecessary.
2006-12-06 05:31:59 · answer #7 · answered by OXRandyyXO 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The correct English should be:
-I've written a letter to you
and
-I've bought a bike for you.
If you want to have even better English, do not use the contraction "I've." Use "I have."
2006-12-06 05:00:10 · answer #8 · answered by Tim D 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1.I 've written a letter to you.
2I've bought you a bike
2006-12-06 05:06:57 · answer #9 · answered by Irena N 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have written a letter to you.
I bought a bike for you.
2006-12-06 04:59:15 · answer #10 · answered by ♥ purrlvr ♥ 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋