Inviations

 

When friends get together, they usually do so by an invitation from one person to another. An invitation may be very casual, such as asking a friend to go out for a drink or dinner after work or more formal, such as a wedding invitation. More formal invitations are usually written and may require an RSVP (French abbreviation répondez s’il vous plaît meaning please reply). There are several expressions that can be used when extending the more common and causal oral invitation. Look at the samples below.

English Expressions- Invitations

Expression: Are you free on (… Friday night)?
Accept: Sure, what did you have in mind?
Decline: No, I’m going to my grandmother’s 80th birthday party.

Expression: Would you like to go to ( … a picnic on Sunday afternoon)?
Accept: That would be great, thanks.
Decline: No can do, I have a soccer game.

Expression: How about going to ( … the movies with me this Saturday)?
Accept: That sounds great. What time?
Decline: Sorry, but I’ve already made other plans.

Expression: I’d like to invite you to ( … the dance this weekend)?
Accept: How kind of you to ask, I’d be delighted.
Decline: I’m sorry, but I have a previous engagement.

Expression: Do you want to go to ( … the rock concert with me)?
Accept: Sure. When?
Decline: No thanks, loud concerts give me an earache.

Dialogue- Invitations

Bob: Alice, what are you doing Sunday afternoon?
Alice: Not much, what did you have in mind?
Bob: The Fourth Avenue Street Fair is going on downtown. Would you like to go?
Alice: Sure, sounds like fun. What is it anyway?
Bob: Just a bunch of vendors selling food, clothes, and what not, kind of like a carnival. There are also
street musicians and performers. It’s interesting to just walk around looking at the people and the sights.
Alice: What time and where do we meet?
Bob: The fair opens at 9:00, but I’m busy in the morning. How about 1:00?
Alice: OK, should I meet you somewhere there?
Bob: Why don’t I pick you up at your house?
Alice: Sounds good, see you then.

Conversation Activities- Invitations

1. Pair work- discussion
     When was the last time you invited someone someplace or were invited someplace by someone? Tell
     your partner about it using some of the ideas for the discussion below. Your partner should ask
     questions to get more information.

where was the invitation to
when was the invitation extended
what was the occasion of the invitation
did you/they accept or decline the invitation
if accepted, was it fun

2. Pair work- practice
     Invite your partner to the activities below. Your partner should accept some of the invitations, but
     decline others. If they decline, they should offer polite reasons for rejecting the invitation. If they
     accept the invitation, both partners should continue the conversation to get ore information
     about the event, such as:

the day and time                                    where they should meet
how much money it will cost                 what kind of dress is required
how long the event will last                    if anything special is needed to participate in the event

To a natural history museum
To a lecture about finance
To an amusement park
To ball room dancing lessons
To a formal dinner
To a friend’s birthday party
To the Russian Ballet
To a horror movie
To go ice fishing on the lake
To go window shopping