Lecture 4

Social Interactions: Inviting & Responding to Invitations

Review of Lecture 3

• In Lecture 3, we learnt how to– Greet others in a variety of situations– Respond to a positive event– Use formal and informal expressions of gratitude

appropriately– Write a short thank-you note – Write a formal letter of thanks– Comprehend texts containing expressions of

gratitude

Objectives of Lecture 4

• After completing lecture 4, you should be able to– Use polite expressions of invitations– invite others through telephone call– Accept an invitation politely– Decline an invitation politely– Write short invitation letter / email– Write a follow-up letter / email

Inviting informally• Why don't we …?• Let's ….• How about / What about …?• Care for …? / Are you up for …?• Why not …?• Shall we …?• Fancy …? / Do you fancy …?• Do you feel like …?Why not come round for a meal? Care for a dinner tonight? Why not join us for the birthday party?Fancy going out for a movie?

Inviting formally

• Would you like to …?• I'd like to ask you to …?• It would be my pleasure if you would …?• May I have the honor of your …?• I was wondering if you would like to …?• How would you like to …?Would you like to come round for a meal? I’d like to ask you for a dinner tonight? It would be my pleasure if you join us for the birthday party?How would you like to play golf tomorrow afternoon?May I have the honor of inviting you to dinner?

Accepting Invitations

• That’s very kind of you. Thank you for inviting me. I’d like that very much.

• I’d be delighted to come.• Thank you. That’d be very nice. I’ll look forward to it.• Yes, please. Thanks.• That’s/ What a good idea. • That sounds good/ fun.• Sure, I’d love to come.• Ok, cool!

Setting the Details for the Invitation

• What time should I come?• Where shall we meet?• Shall I pick you up?• What time?• What time does it start/end?• Where shall I pick you up?• Shall we meet at half past seven?

Declining Invitations

• Thank you very much, but I’m afraid I can’t come.• I’d love to but I have an appointment with the dentist. • That’s very kind of you, unfortunately I have a class test

tomorrow.• I really appreciate the invitation, but I won’t be here tomorrow.• That’s very kind of you, unfortunately I’m busy on Tuesday.• I really don’t think I can. I’m busy this weekend.• Thanks, but I won’t be able to make it then. May be another

time?• No, thank you. I’ve got something else on. Maybe next time?

Sample Dialogues - Informal

DIALOGUE 1

Person 1: Let's go out for a movie tonight.Person 2: Yes, let's do that. Where should we meet?Person 1: I’ll pick you up from your home at 8.Person 2: Thanks mate.

DIALOGUE 2

Person 1: Shall we get some dinner tonight?Person 2: Sorry, I’m busy tonight. Maybe next time?Person 1: That’s OK.

Sample Dialogues - Formal

DIALOGUE 1Person 1: Would you like to come over for dinner?Person 2: That would be nice. Thank you.

DIALOGUE 2Person 1: I would like to ask you for a visit to our company

anytime this week.Person 2: Oh, I’d love to but I’m awfully busy these days.Person 1: Oh, I hope you do get time to visit us next week

then.

Practice Situations

• Find a partner and use these suggestions to practice inviting people for different occasions. – invite your boss over for dinner next week (formal)– invite a friend out for a cup of tea (informal)– invite an important person to have high tea with you

(formal)– invite your brother or sister over for a barbecue (informal)– invite a resource person to convene a session in a training

workshop (formal)– invite your colleagues to a house warming party (informal)

Writing a Formal Invitation Card

• Keep the following points in mind:1. Place the organization or host's logo or graphic at the top of the

invitation.2. Write full name of the host(s).3. Extend the invitation. 4. Provide information about the event. 5. State the purpose of the event. 6. Provide the date of the event.7. Write the time of the event in full.8. Provide the location of the event and its address.9. Provide special instructions, if any. 10. Include your RSVP information

Practice Situation

• Suppose you are the program coordinator at your school. Your school is organizing a week long teacher training workshop. You want to invite some guests to the closing ceremony of the workshop. Use your imagination and compose an invitation card for the event.

Writing an Invitation letter / email

• Download the accompanying hand out (Sample Invitation Letter)

• Analyze it thoroughly• Now write a similar invitation letter based on the following

situation:Suppose you are the program coordinator at your school. Your school is organizing a week long teacher training workshop. You want to invite a resource person to convene one session in the workshop. Use your imagination and write an invitation letter to the resource person.

Writing a Follow-up letter / email

• Download the accompanying hand out (Sample Follow-up Letter)

• Analyze it thoroughly• Now write a similar follow-up letter based on your previous

invitation letter.

Summary of Lecture 4

• In lecture 4, we learnt to– Use polite expressions of invitations– invite others through telephone call– Accept an invitation politely– Decline an invitation politely– Write a short invitation letter / email– Write a follow-up letter / email