I think what LoadedDog was referring to was a stylistic question regarding the verb “to get.” I knew someone who would complain that “to get” was overused. Usually there’s a more expressive verb that can replace “get.” For example:
“I got a response yesterday” -> “They responded yesterday”
“I’ll get dessert” -> “I’ll bring dessert.”
“I get it” -> “I understand”
“I got milk at the store” -> “I bought milk at the store”
etc.
With regard to the OP, nearly all my business letters start with “I am writing to…” Right now I’m applying for jobs, and it’s really hard not to start every sentence of a cover letter with “I.”
I wasn’t referring to usages where “have got” would be correct (“I got to go to work”, etc), but to my former teacher’s notion that “got” is a lazy, dull word.
I remember sitting in the classroom as a ten year-old, and pondering this list of sentences in which I had to replace “got”. Now let’s see… “I got a present” Okay, no drama, we’ll make that “I received a present”. “I got tired”. Righto then, “I became tired”, it is. But then when I saw “I got out of bed”, I realised how stupid this exercise was, and what a damn useful word is “got”. “I jumped out of bed”? I arose majestically out of bed"? How often does that happen?
I gotta end this hijack here.
BTW Chula, “I am writing to…” is my preferred opening for a letter, as well. It’s clear and to the point.
