2007-01-24 03:56:30 · 11 answers · asked by Phillips 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
Depends on the context. "I wrote him a letter." would be past tense and "I am writing him a letter." would be present.
If you do it regularly, you could say, "I write him a letter every week." or something similar.
2007-01-24 04:01:00 · answer #1 · answered by Phoenix, Wise Guru 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I wouldn't say either of these. I would say "I am writing him a letter" because it is something which you are in the process of doing or intend to do shortly. When you say "I write" it describes something which you are in the habit of doing. If you were to say: "I write him a letter every week" it would convey this meaning.
Strangely, when you say these words in the future tense, it is fine to say either: "I shall write him a letter" or "I shall write a letter to him." I can't offer any logical explanation for this, but it is so.
2007-01-24 12:21:58 · answer #2 · answered by Doethineb 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I'd say "I'll write him a letter or I am writing a letter to him or I'm going to write him a letter (depends on the tense- future or present)
2007-01-24 12:00:52 · answer #3 · answered by ruby 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I write a letter to him
2007-01-24 12:00:31 · answer #4 · answered by murnip 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I am writing a letter to him.
2007-01-24 17:08:22 · answer #5 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I write him a letter sounds better.
Your tense is weird though, you'd have to say "I write him a letter every day/week/few months/whenever I can/whenever my email starts bouncing." More likely would be "I'm writing him a letter" (right now or soon) or "I'll write him a letter" or "I wrote him a letter".
2007-01-24 12:02:48 · answer #6 · answered by Goddess of Grammar 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I would suggest both are redundant, since what else would you write but a letter? "a letter" is the object of the verb in either sentence, and there is an understood "to" even if you omit it. A simple diagram of the sentence will show that "him" has to be the object of a prepositional phrase.
2007-01-24 12:19:56 · answer #7 · answered by thylawyer 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
"I write a letter to him" is correct and the more preferred.
2007-01-24 12:00:13 · answer #8 · answered by Pirate AM™ 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
To me both are acceptable.
I'm anti-pedantry, and I split infinitives and other serious
offences. I write how I like. So i'm not to be relied upon. .
formal writing is needed only for formal occasions.
2007-01-24 12:40:53 · answer #9 · answered by ricardoo7224 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Your best responce would be I wrote him a letter. or I will be writting a letter to him...........best of luck
2007-01-24 12:00:17 · answer #10 · answered by montana 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋