一、邀请信及复信 ( Letters of Invitations and Acknowledgments)
 邀请信包括宴会邀请、午餐和晚餐邀请、聚会邀请、舞会邀请、婚礼邀请等。邀请信分为两种：一种是正规的格式（formal correspondence）,也叫做请柬；一种是非正规的格式 （informal correspondence）, 也就是一般的邀请信。
 邀请信虽然看起来不象请柬那样正规、庄重，但是，也是很讲就的。写好邀请信，需注意以下几个问题：
 1.   邀请信一定要写得明确、完整，不可给收信人留下任何疑问。如: “ I’d like you and Tom to come to dinner next Wednesday.” 这样的写法就不够明确，需要加上具体的日期和时间。该句应写成: “I’d like you and Tom to come to dinner on Wednesday, June 14, at seven o’clock .”
 2.  在欧美国家，夜晚的邀请，除了那些只允许男人参加的社交活动之外，不论是正式的，还是非正式的，都应该邀请夫妻双方参加。
 3.  别人对你的邀请是对你的尊重，因此，无论能否赴约，都应该给与及时的、有礼貌的答复。
 4.   对于邀请信，在复信时应该明确地说明是接受邀请, 还是不能接受邀请。不能使用模棱两可的话。如: “ I’ll try my best to come.” “ I’ll come if I’m in town.” 等等，那样会使邀请人感到十分不安，应该明确说明去还是不去，以便让邀请人早做安排。
 5.  接受邀请时，在回信时要重复写上邀请信中的某些内容，如: 几月几日、星期几、几点钟等等。不应该这样写：“ I’ll be delighted to attend your luncheon…” ，而应该写成： “ I’ll be delighted to attend your luncheon on Thursday, May tenth, at one o’clock.” 这样写，可以纠正你或邀请人可能弄错了的日期和时间。
 （一）宴会邀请信及复信 ( Dinner Invitations and Acknowledgments)
邀请朋友赴宴 （Inviting a Friend to Dinner）
Dear Zhang Ning,
 Will you and Mr. Wang Yi have dinner with us on Tuesday, the fifth of May, at seven o’clock?
 It’s a long time since we have had the pleasure of seeing you and we do hope you can come.
                                                                                                 Sincerely yours,
                                                                                               Elizabeth K. Benton
[译文]
亲爱的张宁：
 请您和王义先生于五月五日（星期二）下午七时与我们共进晚餐，不知是否能来？
 自上次见面以来，又有很长时间未见面了，非常希望你们能够光临。
                                                                                              您真挚的
                                                                                              伊丽莎白·K·本顿
·接受邀请（Acceptance）
Dear Mrs. Benton,
 Wang Yi and I will be delighted to dine with you on Tuesday, the fifth of May, at seven o’clock. How nice of you to ask us!
 We are both looking forward with great pleasure to seeing you and Dr. Benton again.
                                  
                                                                                              Very sincerely yours,
                                                                                              Zhang Ning 

  [译文]
亲爱的本顿夫人，
 王义和我将在五月五日（星期二）下午七时愉快地与您们共进晚餐，承蒙您们邀请，非常高兴！
 我们将以极其愉快的心情，盼望着再一次和您以及本顿医生见面。
 您们非常真挚的
 张宁
不能赴约 （Regret）
Dear Mrs. Benton,
 I’ve been putting off this note until the last possible moment, hoping and hoping Wang Yi would get back from Shanghai in time for your dinner party. But now I must regretfully write that he’ll still be out of town on Tuesday, the fifth; and we therefore cannot accept your kind invitation for dinner on that day.
  It was sweet of you to ask us; and I know Wang Yi will be as sorry as I am to miss an evening with you and Dr. Benton. We know how delightful such evenings at your house usually are!
                                                                                                        Sincerely yours,
                                                                                                        Zhang Ning
[译文]
亲爱的本顿夫人，
 我一直盼望着王义能从上海及时赶回来参加您们的宴会，以致迟迟未写回信。据悉，在五日（星期二）以前，他不能返回本市，因此，我们不能参加您们的宴会。为此我们深表遗憾，特此告知。
 感谢您们的盛情邀请，我们不能同您及本顿医生共度那个夜晚，我想王义一定和我一样感到遗憾，因为在您家中度过这样的夜晚总是令人十分愉快的。
 您真挚的
   张宁 
2. 邀请朋友赴宴和看电影 （Inviting a Friend to Dinner and the Movie ）
   现代人由于忙忙碌碌，邀请信总是写得很简短，邀请朋友赴宴和看电影，通常只写上几行字，但是，他们认为这并不是草率和不恭敬的表现，只是为了速度快些罢了。例如：
Dear Li Ming,
 We have four tickets for a new movie Brokeback Mountain this Friday, the tenth. Will you and He Yi join us here for dinner at six sharp; and then go on with us later to the movie? We’ll be looking for you Friday night, so don’t disappoint us! 
           
                                                                                                        Affectionately yours,
                                                                                                        Doris
[译文]
亲爱的李明，
 本月10号（星期五）我们买到了新电影《断背山》的四张电影票，请您和何毅在六点整前来共进晚餐，然后我们同去看这部新电影，好吗？盼望您们星期五晚上前来，别让我们失望！
 您亲爱的
 多丽丝
·接受邀请 (Acceptance)
Dear Doris,
 Delighted! We’ll be there Friday at six, and go with you afterward to the cinema. How wonderful of you and Frank to ask us! ….
                                                                                                           Affectionately yours,
                                                                                                           Li Ming
 

[译文]
亲爱的多丽丝，
 好极了！我们将在星期五下午六点到您那里，然后一起去电影院。您和弗兰克能邀请我们，真是太好了！
                                                          您亲爱的
                                                          李明
·不能赴约 （Regret）
Dear Doris,
 I think you’d better ask some other couple for Friday. He Yi is in Shanghai and won’t be back for another week. Wait till he hears what a wonderful evening he missed with you and Frank! Thanks for asking us, Doris. I’m certainly sorry we can’t say “yes”!
                                                         
                                                                                                         Affectionately yours,
                                                                                                         Li Ming
[译文]
亲爱的多丽丝，
 我想最好您在星期五另行邀请一对夫妇。何毅去上海了，整个下星期都不能回来。事后他会因失去一个同您和弗兰克一起欢聚的机会而感到遗憾的！感谢您对我们的邀请，多丽丝，我不能应邀前往，深感抱歉！
                                                          您亲爱的
                                                          李明
3. 取消非正式宴会的短笺 ( Note to Recall an Informal Dinner Invitation)
有时候，由于生病或其他原因，需取消原定的宴请，如果时间紧，可以用电话通知已邀请的客人，如果有时间，应该写一封短信表示歉意。
Dear Mrs. Jennings,
  I have just learned that my son, who is at school in Shanghai, was injured in a basketball game. Although the injury is not very serious, Lin Kai and I feel we must go to him at once; and we are leaving tomorrow morning.
  Under the circumstances, we must recall our dinner invitations for Tuesday, the fifth of May… and plan on a later date for our party.
  I’m sure that you and Mr. Jennings will understand our anxiety, and will forgive this last-minute change in plans.
                                                                                                        Sincerely yours,
                                                                                                        Li Li
[译文]
亲爱的詹宁斯夫人，
 获悉我的儿子——他正在上海读书——在打篮球时受了伤，虽然伤势不算太严重，但是林凯和我都觉得我们应该去看望他。我们将于明天上午前往。
 因此，我们只好取消五月五日的宴请了，改日再举行。
 我深信您和詹宁斯先生一定能够理解我们焦急的心情，并能原谅我们在这最后时刻改变了原计划。
 您真诚的
 李丽
 4. 对于非正宴请的不能如期赴约的短笺 (Note to Break an Informal Dinner Engagement)
 按照英美人的习惯，应邀者因为生病或其他原因而不能如期赴约时，应该打个电话或写一封短信告诉邀请人。当然，只有在万不得已时才能做出这样的改变。
Dear Mrs. Benton,
 I’m very sorry to have to write you this letter! After accepting your kind invitation for dinner on Tuesday, May the fifth, I now find that we cannot be there after all.
 Li Yong has just been called to Shanghai on business; and although he tried very hard to postpone the trip until after the fifth, he was unable to do so.
 We had been looking forward with great pleasure to seeing you and Dr. Benton; and we both feel very badly about this unexpected development. We hope you understand, and that you will not be inconvenienced. 
                                              
                                                      
                                                                                                         Sincerely yours,
                                                                                                          Wang Shanshan
[译文]
亲爱的本顿夫人，
 在我不得不给您写这封的时候，内心深感不安！我本已接受您五月五日的盛情邀请，现在发现实在不能赴约了。
 李咏刚才接到通知，要他去上海办件公务。他曾尽力设法把行期延至五号以后。但没有成功。
 我们一直十分愉快的期待着去看望您和本顿医生，对于这意外的变化，我们两人都觉得非常失望。望您谅解，并希望这不会使您感到不便。
 您真诚的
 王珊珊
Writing Assignment 2：
1． 用你的姓名、现地址或家庭地址给下面这位教授写一个信封。
 Prof. Henry Hurst , Dept. of Information Engineering, East Caroline University, Greenville,
 NC 27858, USA
写一封邀请信，要请你的好朋友Elizabeth K. Benton 本周六晚7点到你家赴宴, 然后一起去电影院看新电影《金刚》（KING KONG） (The Eighth Wonder of the World.)。
以Elizabeth K. Benton的身份给你写一封表示接受邀请的回信。
4.  以Elizabeth K. Benton的身份给你写一封表示不能接受邀请的回信。
 5. 因为生病或因有其它原因而不能如期举行你主办的宴会，给你的好朋友Elizabeth K. Benton写一封取消非正式宴会的短笺。
 6.  因为生病或因有其它原因而不能如期出席你已经答应参加的宴会，给你的好朋友Elizabeth K. Benton写一封表示歉意的不能按时赴约的短笺。
 （二）聚会邀请信及复信 ( Party Invitations and Acknowledgments)
非正式酒会的邀请信( An Invitation for an Informal Cocktail Party)
在邀请参加酒会的短笺上，应该写明酒会开始和结束的确切的时间。否则，客人会担心呆的时间太长，影响晚上的活动计划。
                                                                                                              June 1, 2005
Dear Ruth,
  We’re having some friends in for cocktails on Friday afternoon, June the eighth, from four to six. Can you and Bill come?
  Wang Dong and I are looking forward to seeing you, so don’t disappoint us!
                                                                                                           Cordially yours, 
                                                                                                            Li Ping
[译文]
亲爱的露丝：
 我们将于六月八日（星期五）下午四至六时邀请几位朋友来参加酒会。您和比尔能来吗？
 王东和我盼望你们来，千万不要使我们失望！
                                                         您真诚的
                                                           李萍
 2005年6月1日
非正式茶会的邀请信( An Invitation for an Informal Tea Party)
 茶会也是一种招待聚会，然而，比其他任何午后招待更为严格，更有“社交性”。因此，即便是小型的、非正式的茶会，也要写邀请信。用电话邀请客人是不恰当的。
                                                                                                              April. 2, 2005
Dear Mrs. North,
  I have asked some friends to come for tea on Tuesday, April 8th, at four o’clock. Will you join us?
  I know you have just returned from Shanghai but I hope you’re not too busy to come. I’m looking forward to seeing you.
                                       
                                                                                                             Cordially yours,
                                                                                                             Zhang Ying
[译文]
亲爱的诺思夫人：
 我邀请了几位朋友在四月八日（星期二）下午四时来参加茶会，您能来参加吗？
 我知道您刚从上海回来，但是我想，您会在百忙中光临的。期待您的到来。
 您真诚的
                                              张英
                                              2005年4月2日
 （三）舞会邀请信(Dance Invitation)
 1. 邀请朋友参加庆祝国庆节的舞会 (An Invitation for an Informal Dance Celebrating the National Day）
                                                                                                                    Sept. 25, 2005 
Dear Ruth,     
 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 Bill come? We’ll have dancing from eight until eleven.
 We are very eager to have you here, so don’t disappoint us!
                                                                                                                  Students of the 
                                                                                                                Foreign Language Department
[译文]
亲爱的露丝：
 下星期五（十月一日）是我国国庆节，我们想邀请几位朋友来庆祝一下，这一定是件愉快的事情。您和比尔能来吗？ 舞会从八点开始，十一点结束。
 我们都急切地盼望你们的光临。请不要使我们失望！
                                              外语系员工
 20005年9月25日
2. 邀请朋友参加化装舞会 (An Invitation for a Masquerade)
 在西方，化装舞会一般都是青少年们庆祝新年或节日举办的舞会，在这种邀请信中，你要求客人穿什么衣服，或扮演什么角色，都应该写明确。
对于这种邀请，无论应邀还是婉言谢绝，都应及时回信，语气也应该像邀请信那样热情而友好。
                                                                                                                 Dec.28, 20005 
Dear Julie,
 If you meet a witch or a ghost on the way here in New Year’s Eve, don’t be alarmed! They’ll just be guests on their way to our masquerade.
 I’d like you and your brother Bob to come. You can dress here if you like, or you can come all dressed and masked so that nobody recognizes you. I think that’s more fun!
 Come at seven, Julie. There’ll be dancing until eleven, and a buffet supper afterward. I hope that both you and Bob can make it.
                                                                                                                   With Love,
                                                                                                                   Anita
[译文]
亲爱的朱丽娅：
 如果元旦晚上在来这里的途中遇到一个“巫婆”，或一个“鬼怪”，请别惊慌，那一定是前来参加我们化装舞会的客人。
 希望您和您弟弟鲍勃同来参加。如果你愿意，可以在这里更衣，也可以来时穿好化装的衣服，戴好假面具，这样，谁也认不出你们了。我想，那样会更有趣。
 朱丽娅，请你在七点钟到达。舞会在十一点结束，然后吃自助夜餐。希望您和鲍勃光临。
                                                       您亲爱的
                                                       安妮塔
                                                                 2005年12月28日