邀请与回复商务英语12

商务英语写作辅导资料十二主题：对Unit 12邀请与回复(Business Invitations and Responses)知识点的补充学习时间：2013年6月17日－6月23日内容：An invitation letter is a kind of social letter, either used in the official commercial activity or unofficial social occasion to invite customers, colleagues or friends to attend the ceremony, party, wedding, funeral and so on. According to the occasion, it is divided into formal invitation and informal invitation as follows.邀请信是很常用的一种社交信函，通常用于邀请客户、同事及朋友参加庆典、晚会、宴会、婚（葬）礼等正式的商务活动或非正式的社交场合。

根据场合的不同，邀请信也相应的分为正式与非正式两种，以下进行分别阐述。

1. Formal invitation and replies（重点掌握）1) Formal invitation is usually applied to grand occasion such as opening ceremony or evening function. There are two types: invitation card and invitation letter, including these main points:·reason of inviting, host and guest·heading, program, time and place·whether any suggested dress code正式邀请信一般都用于较盛大、隆重的场合，如开业庆典、正式晚宴等，可采取请柬和信函两种形式。

邀请信及请柬的要点应包含：·邀请的原因、邀请方法与被邀请方·活动名称、日程、具体时间、地点·是否有着装方面的要求A formal invitation letter or invitation card requires the guest’s reply, so it usually adds “RSVP”or “r. s. v. p.”at below on the right side or “Please reply”, “Please send reply to (address)”above the address. It should be avoided to use the abbreviation form such as I’m, I’ve, We’re, You’re. Furthermore, there is a certain format for invitation card, only accessible to the Third Person.正式邀请信及请柬通常都要求被邀请方回复，因此要在右下角注明法语的缩写“RSVP”或“r. s. v. p.”。

或者在邀请主地址的上方写上“Please reply”或“Please send reply to (address)”。

正式邀请信中应尽量避免使用I’m, I’ve, We’re, You’re等省略形式；且请柬有一定的格式遵循，只能用第三人称。

Samples of formal invitations and repliesSample 1Invitation CardsSample 2 Invitation LettersMr. and Mrs. John Smith Request the honor of the present of Mr. and Mrs. J. A. BrownAt the marriage of their daughterElizabeth SmithToMr. John Frederick Hamilton On Sunday, the 18th February, 2005At six o’clock30 Seaview RoadSuggested dress code: formalr. s. v. p.2) Formal responses Response to invitation card Sample 3Accepting InvitationsSample 4 Declining InvitationsMr. and Mrs. J. A. Brown Thank Mr. and Mrs. John Smith For their kind invitation toThe marriage of their daughterElizabeth SmithToMr. John Frederick Hamilton On Sunday, the 18th February, 2005At six o’clock30 Seaview Roadand have much pleasure in accepting Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Brown Thank Mr. and Mrs. John Smith For their kind invitation toThe marriage of their daughterElizabeth SmithToMr. John Frederick Hamilton On Sunday, the 18th February, 2005Response to invitation letterThe guest should make a reply upon the invitation letter to make clear whether accepting or not. Accordingly, there are formal response and informal response. Response to formal invitation requires official English and Third Person. Firstly, the guest should express his appreciation and then repeat the time, date and place when accepting; if not, besides thanks, he should explain the reason why he cannot attend and show the pity.被邀请方在收到邀请信后应当立即答复，明确告诉对方拒绝还是接受。

根据邀请信，回复也相应地分为正式与非正式两种。

正式邀请信的回复，要求使用正式英语，并用第三人称。

如果接受邀请，则应先表示感谢，然后重复邀请信中的时间、日期、地点；如果谢绝出席，回复中也应先表示感谢，然后表示遗憾，并具体解释不能出席的原因。

Sample 5Accepting an Invitation(The recipient’s address)Dear Mr. and Mrs. Burns,Mr. and Mrs. Magellan thank you for your kind invitation to the dinner party at 6:30 . on Saturday, May 21, 2005 and have much pleasure in accepting.Truly yours,Mr. and Mrs. Magellan Sample 6Declining an InvitationMay 15, 2005Dear Mr. and Mrs. Burns,Your invitation to the dinner party at 6:30 . on Saturday, May 21, 2005 should be one that I would very much like to accept.Unfortunately, however, I have been committed to a farewell party for a retiring colleague at my company on the same evening.2. Informal invitations and repliesWith simplification of social communication, the informal invitation becomes widespread. Mostly it is sent to some far-away friends or relatives, when inconvenient to inform by words. As long as it can show information in detail, the letter can be either long or short. The first person is often used.随着社交方式的日趋简化，非正式邀请信的形式越来越普遍。

非正式邀请信大多是寄给远方不便口头通知的朋友和亲戚。

只要提供详细信息，可以长短不限，一般使用第一人称。

Samples of informal invitation and repliesSample 7May 15, 2005 Dear Mary,Our daughter, Catherine, is going to have her wedding on the first day of June, at the Great Wall Hotel at 11:30 a.m.. We are looking forward with great pleasure to seeing you.Yours faithfully, Response to informal invitation can be casual. The guest can inform his host by telephone, but it is better to write a letter.非正式邀请信的回复较为随便，可以在电话中口头通知，但最好写一封答复信。