ESL General English Grammar Questions

Re: write me vs. write to me

Cool Breeze — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 21:29:11 GMT

Whether e-mail, letter, post card/postcard or whatver you are writing is countable or uncountable is of no consequence. It all depends on the verb.

I'll send you a letter. = I'll send a letter to you.

I'll write you a letter. (Common in AmE.) = I'll write a letter to you. (Preferred in BrE in the old days. These days American usage may have influenced the British and the American English version may not sound so American to them any more.)

Cheers, CB

Re: write me vs. write to me

Yoong Liat — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 18:42:19 GMT

'Mail' refers to letters and parcels. It is an uncountable noun.

'Email' is a countable noun. It is a message sent by email.

Re: write me vs. write to me

Grammar Geek — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 00:09:34 GMT

Actually... just to confuse things...

I would say "Send me an e-mail" without a problem. I would not say "He sent it to me in three e-mails." That is, even though I would use the article "an" or "the," I would not actually say "Three e-mails." If I came back from a day off, I wouldn't say "Oh my gosh - I got 512 e-mails!" I'd say "I've got 512 e-mail messages."

BUT... more and more people would say "512 e-mails."

Re: write me vs. write to me

New2grammar — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 23:49:06 GMT

I promise this is my last post.

Sorry if I have confused anyone.

MAIL is uncountable as GG has confirmed. NOTE MAIL is not E-MAIL!

E-mail can be countable and uncountable. GG prefers to say, send an e-mail (uncoutable) message but she also said send an email (countable) is widely used. It's up to you which one you want to use.

I hope this clear things up.

Re: write me vs. write to me

Grammar Geek — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 23:46:07 GMT

New2Grammar gave you good advice: Just say "Write to me."

Re: write me vs. write to me

Seraphin — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 23:43:25 GMT

It seems that the discussion goes on a tangent a bit. Can anyone discuss/answer which usage is correct? Or it sounds like "write you a mail" is wrong as mail is NOT countable. ?? Thanks

Re: write me vs. write to me

New2grammar — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 23:36:45 GMT

I just thought it was possible to use 'e-mails' as countable. But I like your version.

<EDIT>GG, actually the meaning of email in your version is the name of the technology for sending electronic messages over the Internet like FTP, HTTP, Javascript. For example, ftp port, html file. It's not the message itself like mail does, I believe. I hope I'm not confusing the questioner.

Re: write me vs. write to me

Grammar Geek — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 23:34:18 GMT

Oh now. Now I'll be classified with the hardcore grammarians!

Re: write me vs. write to me

New2grammar — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 23:32:27 GMT

I'm quite certain mail is uncountable. Email is debatable. I believe hardcore grammarians would use it as an uncountable noun. You might want to wait for native speakers.

Re: write me vs. write to me

Grammar Geek — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 23:32:03 GMT

He was quite right that "mail" is uncountable.

"E-mail" is now often used as a countable noun, but it's not universal.

In your example, I'd say that I'd send it in three e-mail messages, not three e-mails, though many do use it that way.

Re: write me vs. write to me

Damir — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 23:25:19 GMT

Why is mail uncountable? Can't be said e.g. 3 mails (e-mails)?

"I'll send it to you in 3 e-mails because of its size."

Re: write me vs. write to me

New2grammar — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 22:16:46 GMT

mail is uncountable.

I'd say

I will write to you.

write me vs. write to me

Seraphin — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 22:03:49 GMT

Is it correct to write

"I will write you a mail with ***"

or is it correct ONLY if we say

"I will write a mail TO YOU with ***"

From the dictionary.com, when using "to write" to express the idea of writing a letter or communicating by letters, the verb is intransitive.

This seems to me that only the second usage is correct, UNLESS there are very subtle differences in the usage/meaning of the verb in

those two scenarios.