Invitation邀请信

Invitation letters , Invitation Card and Reply

Outline

Introduction

1. Sample Analysis

2. Invitation Card

3. Reply

4. Follow-up Exercises

5. Assignment

Brief Introduction of Letter of Invitation

Do you have an engagement, wedding, baby shower, or graduation coming up?

Is there a performance, school event, or meeting to which you want to invite people?

Do you want to invite someone to speak at your meeting or conference?

邀请信用于日常生活中对别人发出邀请，可分为正式邀请和非正式邀请。正式邀请一般用于大型的活动，如：学术会议、访问考察、讲学、婚礼等。非正式邀请用于朋友之间，如：吃饭、喝茶、看电影以及来家中小住等。邀请信一般应于事前一两周发出，详细说明邀请的目的、时间和地点，语言应简短、热情，给人真诚、亲切的感觉。

Categories of invitations:

1. Invitation Letter

2. Invitation card

Main Content

表明写作意图，向对方发出邀请；

说明邀请的具体原因，活动的具体时间及地点等；

结尾时表示希望对方接受邀请；

表明希望尽快得到答复。

邀请信的回复

1. 无论是否接受邀请，都应表明谢意；

2. 如接受邀请，应确认应邀时间、地点等详细信息；

3. 如谢绝邀请，文字应婉转、应表示歉意，并说明原因，有时可提出下次再邀请的请求。Guidelines for writing invitations:

1. State the occasion, date, time, and place. Include addresses and a map if necessary. Mention if refreshments(食物，饮料）will be served. List any charges that may apply. Include a telephone number for RSVPs. If there is a dress code, state the preferred dress in the lower left-hand corner of the card.

2. If you need a response, include a self-addressed, stamped reply card or envelope with your invitation.

3. Express that you are looking forward to seeing the person.

4. Do not use abbreviations and do not use contractions (don't; we'll) except for name titles, such as Mr., Mrs., etc.

5. If dinner will be served, state two separate times: the time people can start arriving and the time dinner will be served.

6.If you do not want gifts, briefly state that gifts are not wanted or needed. Explain that their presence is the only gift you need.

7. Make sure you send your invitations out with ample advance notice.

8. If you have guests coming from out of town or from other countries, you may want to send out your invitation several months in advance (especially if your event takes place around a holiday.) This will allow your guests adequate time to make preparations, reservations, save money, etc.

9.For smaller, less formal events that include local guests or guests from nearby areas, you may only need to provide a few weeks notice.

If you are inviting someone to speak at a conference, your invitation should include the following information:

1. Name of the conference and the sponsoring organization;

2. Date, time, place of the conference and speech;

3. Type of audience;

4. The type of speech, topic, and how long the speech should be;

5.Any accommodations that will be made, including lodging, meals, and transportation;

6. The name of the contact person along with phone numbers and addresses where the person can be contacted; and

7.Finally, articulate（清楚表达）your pleasure of having the person speak at the meeting or conference. Wording of an invitation:

Conversational ；Cordial（热情友好的）；sincere

Useful Expressions & Sentence Patterns

Making Invitations1. It gives me the greatest pleasure to invite you to visit this exhibition.能邀请您参观展览是我最大的荣幸。

2. May I take this opportunity to invite you to our university to give a lecture?

我能借此机会邀请您到我校讲学吗？

3. I would like it very much if you would be our guest at dinner. 非常希望您来吃饭做客。

4. We have pleasure in inviting you to our annual conference. 很高兴邀请您来参加我们的年会。

5. My family and I would feel honored if you could come. 如果您能来，我和家人将深感荣幸。

6. I really hope you can make it. 真的希望您能设法前来。

7. We should be delighted if you could join us. 如果您能来，我们将非常高兴。

8. I hope you will let me know that you can come. 希望能通知我您是否能来。

9. We would appreciate it if you could confirm your participation at your earliest convenience.

如果您能尽早通知我们是否参加，我们将非常感谢。

10. Should you find it possible to accept this invitation, would you be kind enough to let me know the date and time when you would like to come.

要是您认为能接受邀请，务请通知我您来的日期。和时间。Accepting the Invitation

1. I have pleasure in accepting your invitation to dinner on … and I will be there on time.

非常愉快地接受您的邀请，参加…月…日的宴会，我将准时抵达。

2. Thank you for your letter of 25th May, and I am pleased to confirm my participation in this year’s conference in July. 感谢您5月25日的来信。我十分高兴地通知您，我将参加今年7月份的会议。

3. Very many thanks for your invitation to dinner on 16th February.

非常感谢您邀请我2月16日与您共进晚餐。

4. I am glad to come and look forward to seeing you again. 很高兴前来，并期待着再次见到您。

D e c l i n i n g a n I n v i t a t i o n1. I regret that I have another engagement on that day and will not be able to attend.

十分抱歉，我结识另有安排，故不能出席。

2. Please accept my sincere regrets for not being able to join 我不能参加…了，请接受我真诚的歉意。

3. I regret that I am not able to accept your invitation at this time. 很遗憾我现在不能接受您的邀请。

4. Thanks so much for thinking of me. 非常感谢您能想到我。

5. It was very kind of you to ask me, but I am afraid that I will not be able to come.

非常感谢您能邀请我，但是恐怕我不能来。

6. We are so sorry that we cannot accept your kind invitation because of another engagement.

非常抱歉，因为另有约会，我们不能接受您的盛情邀请。

7. Unfortunately, I am not sure whether I will be able to come. 遗憾的是，我不能确定是否能来。

8. Hoping all the same to see you. 还是希望能很快见到您。

Sample Analysis

Answer the questions:

1. Who is the birthday party for?

________________________________________________________________________

2. How old is she?

________________________________________________________________________

3. When is the party?

________________________________________________________________________

4. What time does the party begin and end?

________________________________________________________________________

5. Who do you phone if you want to go to the party?

________________________________________________________________________

6. Is this party in a house or apartment?

________________________________________________________________________

Sample One

An invitation to the ceremony

September 8,2007

Dear Mr. Grant:

We would like to invite you to attend our award ceremony, which is to be held at Johnson Hall, Duke University on 18 September this year. This proceedings will begin at 3 p.m. and end around 5 p.m., after which a dinner will be given at 7:30 p.m. for our prominent visitors.

As one of our distinguished ex-students, you are expected to address the parents and students with a short speech of your choice before handing out the awards.

Although we realize you are busy, we hope you can find time to attend the ceremony. Your presence and speech will make the occasion more delightful.

Yours sincerely,

Sample Two- Read and Discuss

An invitation to a lecture

September 8,2007

Dear Mr. Green:

I was told by our mutual friend Mr. Wang that you will visit China next month. I want to invite you to come to our college to give the students some lectures on “Marketing Management”.

Please let me know as soon as possible if you can come and tell me your exact arrival time.

Your sincerely,

Improved Letter

September 8,2007

Dear Mr. Green:

It is a great pleasure to hear from our mutual friend Mr. Wang that you are coming to China for a visit next

month. I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to give some lectures on “Marketing Management”. Many students in our college are interested in Marketing Management. Please accept my warm welcome and sincere invitation. I look forward to listening to your talks. Please give us a call upon your arrival. My phone number is ….

With best regards.

Sincerely yours.

1.Invitation to a Formal Dinner

Dear Mrs. Benton,

John and I would be very happy if you and Mr. Benton could come to dinner with us on Monday, May the second at six o’clock. We do hope you can Join us.

Sincerely yours

Ellen Smith

A letter of Accepting an Invitation

Dear Mrs. Smith,

Thank you for inviting us to dinner on Monday, May the second. We are delighted to accept your invitation.

Sincerely yours,

Lucie Benton

A letter of Declining an Invitation

Dear Mrs. Smith,

Thank you for inviting us to dinner on Monday, May the second. I wish I could be there, but I regret to inform you that owing to being away on vacation, we shall not be able to come.

Sincerely yours,

Lucie Benton

2.Invitation to a Wedding

Dear Aunt Kate,

David and I are to be married at the Community Church (区教堂)on Thursday, June the twelfth, at noon.

We want you come to the ceremony, and also to the wedding breakfast(喜宴) afterward at home.

We’ll be awaiting your arrival, Aunt Kate, on the twelfth!

With love

Helen

3.Invitation to a Dance

Dear Martha,

Next Friday October the first is our national Day, and we thought it would be pleasant to have some of our friends here to celebrate it. Will you and Tom come? We’ll hav e dancing from seven until twelve.

We are all looking forward to seeing you.

Students of International business School

4.Invitation to a Reception(招待会）

Dear Mr. Hobson,

It would give us great pleasure to have your presence at a reception in honor of the Chinese delegation（中国代表团）.

The reception will be held in the City Hall, on Tuesday, October the fourth. Cocktails(鸡尾酒会）will be served promptly at six to be followed by dinner at eight.

We sincerely hope you can attend. Let us know as soon as possible if you can come.

Sincerely

Li He

5.Invitation to an Export Commodities fair(出口商品交易会)

Dear Sirs,

This is to advise that we are going to hold an Export Commodities fair in Shanghai from May 1st to May 15th,1999. A great variety of samples(品种繁多的样品), newly designed by our manufacturers, will be on exhibition. We take pleasure in inviting you to the Fair. Please cable（电告）the date of your arrival, enabling us to make the necessary preparations.

Yours faithfully

6.Invitation to an Anniversary Celebration of the founding of a School(校庆)

Dear Prof. Smith,

On Monday，September the tenth all the faculty members of Hu Nan University will celebrate the Seventieth Anniversary of the School Founding.

We have decided to have a party in honor of the occasion. The place is Teachers’ Reception H all(教师会客厅), and the time is Friday evening, September the tenth, at six o’clock. Come and bring your wife or other guest. We look forward to seeing you.

In order to make proper reservations, will you send your acceptance to the attention of Professor Chen no later than a week before that day.(为了便于安排，务请您与宴会举行一周以前将您的接受邀请的回执寄到陈教授处。)

Cordially,（您真诚的)

Wang Hua

7. Invitation to Giving Lectures(邀请来校讲学)

1) A letter of invitation

Dear Prof. Green,

I was told by our mutual friend Mr. Wilson that you would visit China next month this year. May I take the opportunity to invite you to come to our college to give the students of our English Department some lectures on “Modern American Literature”?

Please let me know as soon as possible if you can come and tell me when you will be able to do so.

With warm personal regards.(我个人谨向您致以热烈的问候。)

Your sincerely,

Yan Hai

2）A letter of Accepting an Invitation

Dear Prof. Yang,

I accept with pleasure your kind invitation to come to your college and give some lectures on “Modern American Literature” to the students of your English Department.

I shall arrive at Changsha on 12th October, and will stay at your college for two weeks, giving lectures 3 times a week.

Looking forward to meeting you and your students and with best wishes.

Yours sincerely,

Green

8.Invitation to Attending the Academic conference(学术会议)

1) A letter of invitation

Dear Professor Parley,

It would give us great pleasure to have your presence at a meeting of English language teaching scheduled for September the sixth,1998 at the English Department of Beijing University.

Your thinking on the subject would contribute greatly to the success of the conference. Do let us know if you can make it.

Cordially,(您诚挚的)

Xia Kai

2) A letter of Accepting an Invitation

Dear Professor Xia,

Thank you very much for your invitation to join the meeting of English language teaching at Department of Beijing University on September the sixth, 1998.

I will be happy to be there at two o’clock that afternoon to take part in the meeting, and look forward to it with pleasure.

Cordially,

William Parley

Invitation Card

1.宾主姓名一律采用第三人称，其中人名、单位名、节日和活动名称都应采用全称。夫妇同时具名时，通常“先生”写在其“夫人”前。行文不用标点符号。文字排列应精心设计，一般以一个或两个完整的意群为一行。

2.写请柬的日期一般不写在请柬上。需安排座位的宴请活动，应要求被邀者答复能否出席。请柬上一般注上R.S.V.P.（请答复）法文缩写字样，并注明联系电话，也可用电话询问能否出席。

3.若邀请人对被邀者出席时的服装有要求，可在请柬的左下角或右下角加以注明。请柬一般提前一周至二周发出。

请柬

谨定于2002年12月7日下午3点在牛津街圣彼得堡教堂为小女南希和爱德华·索尔斯基先生举行婚礼。敬请威廉斯先生和夫人光临。

格林教授和夫人鞠躬

敬请赐复

Invitation

Professor and Mrs. Green

request the pleasure of the company of

Mr. and Mrs. Williams

on the occasion of the marriage of their daughter

Nancy

to Mr. Edward Solski

at St. Peter's Church, Oxbridge

on Saturday, the seventh of December, 2002

at 3:00 p. m.

R.S.V.P

Formal Invitation

Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Rasool

cordially invite you to a reception

celebrating the engagement of

Mary Jane Rasool and Robert Yates

to be held Sunday, the sixth of June

at six o'clock

Pierre's Cafe

800 23rd Street NW

Washington, DC

RSVP Semi-Formal Dress

(202) 555-6908

Business Invitation

Longman's Transportation Services

Cordially invites you to the

15th Annual Employees Appreciation Picnic.

The whole family is welcome!

12:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Saturday, May 22, 1999

South Redding Creek Park

Redding, Maryland

Food, drink, games, and

entertainment will be provided Personal Invitation

You are invited to Michael Carison's 10th birthday!

Date: Saturday June 12, 1999

Time: 11:30 am to 3:00 pm

Where: 345 Eastern Avenue

Lodi, Washington

Call Tonia at (307) 555-1234 to RSVP Follow-up Exercises

1. Translate the following invitation letters into Chinese.

24 June, 2002

Dear Mr. Bool,

We have pleasure in inviting you to our annual conference. This year it will be taking at the University of Nottingham, from 20 to 24 August.

We enclose details of the conference, accommodation arrangements and a business activity program.

Last year you gave a very interesting talk on the subject of “Academic Standards and Expectations”. We would be very grateful if you would consider giving us update on this.

We would appreciate it if you could confirm your participation at your earliest convenience.

Yours sincerely,

Conference Organizer

2)

5 July 2002

Dear Ruth and Cliff,

Peggy and I would like it very much if you would be our guests at dinner on 9 August, at seven o’clock. It’s an informal farewell party for Ted and Virginia Novak who, as you know, will be leaving in a few weeks for Hong Kong, where Ted will be the managing director of our new office there. We’re inviting ten couples, all of whom are special friends of the Novaks.

I know that Ted and Virginia would be delighted to have you in the group, just as we would. By the way, no gifts are expected.

Will you c all me or Peggy if you can’t come? Otherwise, we’ll be expecting you. My office number is 997-2174 and our home number is 457-6120.

Yours,

Mark

2. Put the following sentences into the right order and make it a complete letter.

An invitation letter

a. The dinner will be held at the Asia Peace Plaza, beginning at 5:30 p.m. and continuing to 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 24 and dress will be informal business wear.

b. We look forward to seeing you on Saturday, October 24.

c. We are planning a small dinner party in honour of Jonson, President.

d. We hope that you will be able to join us in this opportunity to meet the senior directors of our company.

3. Write a note of about 50-60 words based on the following situation:

Students of your class, Class One, Foreign Language Department, want to invite Professor Yang and his wife to your New Year’s party, December the 30th, at seven o’clock, 12 Linghai Street.

Write a formal letter of invitation expressing your request.

4.请写一封邀请信,邀请你的朋友或老师出席你的新年晚会。

Keys:

1. ( Omitted )

2. (c,d,a,b)

INVITATION

Students of Class One, Foreign Language Department

present their compliments to

Mr. and Mrs.Yang

and request the pleasure of their company

at New Year’s Party

on Sunday evening, December the 30th,at seven o’clock,

12 Linghai Street

R.S.V.P

ACCEPTANCE

Mr. and Mrs.Yang

have much pleasure in

accepting the invitation of

students of Class One, Foreign Language Department

to the New Year’s Party

on Sunday evening, December the 30th, at seven o’clock.

12 Linghai Street

REGRETS

Mr. and Mrs.Yang

Thank students of Class One, Foreign Language Department

for their kind invitation to the New Year’s party on Sunday,

30th December, at seven o’clock

but regret that a previous engagement prevents them from accepting.

12 Linghai Street

Assignment

1. Putting in Order.

Put the following parts into proper order to make a complete letter of invitation.

a. My wife and I have planned a family dinner for him next Sunday evening at eight o’clock so that he can

meet some of our friends.

b. We should be delighted if you could join us.

c. Dear Miss Black,

d. My brother Tom will be staying with us for a few days during the Christmas holidays.

e. Sincerely yours,

Jack Smith

f. I hope you will let me know that you can come.

2.F i l l i n g t h e b l a n k s t o c o m p l e t e t h e f o l l o w i n g l e t t e r o f i n f o r m a t i o n a c c o r d i n g t o t h e C h i n e s e h i n t s.

Dear Mr. & Mrs. Hill,

______1________(最重要的节日)of the year--____2____(春节临近). And this year’s holiday is a once-in-a-lifetime occasion for us Chinese. The Year of the Dragon—the luckiest of all years—coincides with the start of a new millennium. This happens only ___3_____(每3000年一次).

Mr. Su is giving a dinner party from 7:30 p.m. on the Eve and ________4_______(敬请您出席)at Huatong Hotel.

_____5______ (请回复).

Sincerely yours,

Wen Qiang

Sales Manager

Key

1. c d a b f e

2.

1) The most important holiday

2) The Spring Festival is drawing near

3) Once every 3,000 years

4) Requests the honor of your presence

5) R.S.V.P./ Looking forward to your early reply.