邀請(qǐng)信包括宴會(huì),、舞會(huì),、晚餐、聚會(huì),、婚禮等各種邀請(qǐng)信件,，形式上大體分為兩種:一種為正規(guī)的格式 (formal correspondence),，亦稱請(qǐng)柬；一種是非正式格式 (informal correspondence), 即一般的邀請(qǐng)信,。邀請(qǐng)信是在形式上不如請(qǐng)柬那樣正規(guī),，但也是很考究。書(shū)寫(xiě)時(shí)應(yīng)注意:

邀請(qǐng)信一定要將邀請(qǐng)的時(shí)間（年,、月,、日、鐘點(diǎn)）,、地點(diǎn),、場(chǎng)合寫(xiě)清楚，不能使接信人存在任何疑慮,。例如:“I’d like you and Bob to come to Luncheon next Friday.”這句話中所指的是哪個(gè)星期五并不明確,，所以應(yīng)加上具體日期, “I’d like you and Bob to come to luncheon next Friday, May the fifth.”
1. 邀請(qǐng)朋友共進(jìn)午餐 Inviting a friend to informal luncheon

Dear [Zhang Ying]:

Will you come to luncheon on [Friday, May the fifth], at [twelve o’clock]?
My niece [Mary] is visiting us and I think you will enjoy meeting her. She is a charming, very pretty girl … and very good company! [John and Jane] will be here, and perhaps we can [give a dance] after luncheon. Do say you’ll come!
Affectionately yours,
Li Ming

親愛(ài)的[張營(yíng)]:

您能在[5月5日星期五中午12點(diǎn)鐘] 來(lái)吃午飯嗎？
我侄女[瑪麗]正在我們家中作客，我想您會(huì)樂(lè)于見(jiàn)到她的,。她是個(gè)漂亮而聰明的女孩子,，……同她在一起是很使人高興的！[約翰和簡(jiǎn)]也到這里來(lái),，也許在飯后我們能[開(kāi)個(gè)舞會(huì)],，說(shuō)好，一定得來(lái)呀,！

2. 邀請(qǐng)朋友同他們不認(rèn)識(shí)的人一起共進(jìn)晚餐 Inviting friends to supper with the strangers

Dear [Susan]:

I know you are interested in [oil painting], so I’m sure you’ll be interested in [Mr. and Mrs. Lin dun]! They are coming here to supper [next Sunday night, October the twelfth], and we’d like you and [Walter] to come, too.
[Mr. and Mrs. Lin Dun] are that very charming couple we met in [London] last summer. They have a wonderful collection of [oil paintings of various stages]; and I understand that Mr. Lin Dun is quite an authority on [oil painting]. I’m sure you and Walter will thoroughly enjoy and evening in their company.
We’re planning supper at six; that will give us a nice long evening to talk. If I don’t hear from you before then, I’ll be expecting you on the [twelfth]!
Affectionately yours,
Li Ming

親愛(ài)的[蘇珊]:

我知道您對(duì)[油畫(huà)]是有興趣的,，所以我相信您對(duì)林頓夫婦也會(huì)感興趣。他們將在[10月12日（下星期日）]來(lái)吃飯,，我們很希望您和瓦爾特也能同來(lái),。

[林頓夫婦]是那么好的一對(duì)夫妻。我們是去年夏天在[倫敦]認(rèn)識(shí)的,。他們集有[各個(gè)不同時(shí)期精美的油畫(huà)作品],。我知道，林頓先生在研究[油畫(huà)]方面是頗有權(quán)威的,。我深信,，那天晚上您和瓦爾特同他們?cè)谝黄穑欢〞?huì)很愉快,。
我們準(zhǔn)備在6點(diǎn)鐘吃晚飯,，這樣就能有較長(zhǎng)的時(shí)間閑談。如果事前接不到您的回信,，我就指望你們那天到來(lái),。

3. 邀請(qǐng)參加新廠開(kāi)工典禮 Invitation to opening ceremony of new factory

Dear [Mr. Harrison]:

Our new factory will be commencing production on [April 10] and we should like to invite [you and your wife] to be present at a celebration to mark the occasion.
As you will appreciate this is an important milestone for this organization, and is the result of continued demand for our products, both at home and overseas. We are inviting all those individuals and trust that you will pay us the compliments of accepting.
Please confirm that you will be able to attend by advising us of your time —— we can arrange for you to be met. All arrangements for your stay [overnight on April 10] will, of course, be made by us at our expense.
Yours faithfully,

親愛(ài)的[哈里森先生]:

本公司新廠將于[4月10日]開(kāi)始投產(chǎn)，希望能邀請(qǐng)[賢伉儷]來(lái)參加新廠開(kāi)工典禮,。
如您所知,，新廠的設(shè)立是本公司的一個(gè)里程碑，而這正是海內(nèi)外對(duì)本公司產(chǎn)品不斷需求的結(jié)果,。我們邀請(qǐng)了所有對(duì)本公司的成功貢獻(xiàn)一切力量的個(gè)人,，我們相信，您一定會(huì)賞光,。

如您確能參加,，請(qǐng)來(lái)函告知您抵達(dá)的時(shí)間 —— 以便我們?yōu)槟才艜?huì)晤。當(dāng)然,，所有安排您在[10日晚間]夜宿的費(fèi)用,，皆將由公司代您支付。

4. 邀請(qǐng)來(lái)家中小住及周末聚會(huì) An invitation for a house and weekend party

Dear [Jane]:

I hope [you and Fred] haven’t any plan for the weekend of [July twenty-fourth] as we’d like you to spend it with us at [Far Acres]. It’s simply beautiful here now, with everything in bloom!
I think we can promise [Fred] some good fishing this year. The fish are biting better than ever! So bring your fishing clothes; and be sure to bring your tennis things, too, because [the Owens] are coming and I’m sure you’ll want to get out on the courts with them.
There’s a very good train [Friday night]; I’ve marked it in red on the timetable. It gets you here about [seven-thirty] which is just in time for dinner. You can get a late train back [Sunday night], or there’s an early express that [Bob] usually takes on [Monday morning].
We hope nothing will prevent you from coming, as we’re looking forward to your visit … and I know [the Owens] are looking forward to seeing you again, too. Be sure to let us know what train you are taking so that [Bob] can meet you at the station.
Affectionately yours,

親愛(ài)的[簡(jiǎn)]:

如果您[7月24日]沒(méi)有什么活動(dòng)安排,，我希望[您和弗雷德]能同我們一起在[遠(yuǎn)莊園]共度周末,，那里已經(jīng)鮮花遍地,，現(xiàn)正在最美麗的時(shí)節(jié)。
我想,，今年我們能讓[弗雷德]釣魚(yú)釣得更快活,。魚(yú)兒比過(guò)去任何時(shí)候都愛(ài)上釣魚(yú)。請(qǐng)把釣魚(yú)的服裝帶來(lái),，也別忘記帶上打網(wǎng)球的用具,，因?yàn)槲覀冞€邀約了[歐文]夫婦，我想,，你們是樂(lè)意同他們打網(wǎng)球的,。
[星期五晚上]有一班舒適的火車(chē)，我已經(jīng)在火車(chē)時(shí)刻表上做了紅色記號(hào),，火車(chē)大約在[7點(diǎn)半鐘]把你們送到這里,，正是吃晚飯時(shí)間。[星期日晚上]你們可以乘晚車(chē)回來(lái),?；蛘撸赱星期一早晨]也有一班快車(chē),，就是[鮑勃]常坐的那一班車(chē),。
我們希望沒(méi)有什么事情會(huì)阻礙你們，我們?cè)诘却銈児馀R……我知道[歐文夫婦]好盼望再次見(jiàn)到你們,。準(zhǔn)備乘哪一班火車(chē),，請(qǐng)一定告訴我們，好讓[鮑勃]到車(chē)站迎接你們,。

5. 邀請(qǐng)參加招待會(huì) An invitation for a reception

Dear [Mr. Smith]:

It would give [me/us] great pleasure to have your presence at a reception in honor of the Chinese delegation.
The reception will be held in the [the City Hall], on [Tuesday, October the fourth]. Cocktails will be served promptly at [six] to be followed b dinner at [eight].
[I/We] sincerely hope you can attend. Let [me/us] know.
Sincerely yours

親愛(ài)的[史密斯先生]:

如您能夠出席為[中國(guó)代表團(tuán)]而舉行的招待會(huì),，[我（們）]將感到十分榮幸。

招待會(huì)定于[10月4日（星期二）]在[市政廳]舉行,。[6點(diǎn)鐘]準(zhǔn)時(shí)舉行[雞犬不寧尾酒會(huì)]， 隨之在[8點(diǎn)鐘]舉行[正式的晚宴],。
[我（們）]期待著您的光臨,。請(qǐng)?zhí)崆巴ㄖ芊癯鱿?br />
6. 邀請(qǐng)演講 Inviting someone to address a meeting

Dear [Dr. Rodger]:

[The English Department of Nankai University] would like to extend to you an invitation to be our guest speaker at the [annual conference] to be held at the [meeting room] at [eight] o’clock, [Saturday morning, December the thirtieth, 1993].

As you know, the department is interested in [the 20th century English literature] Since you are familiar with the field, we know your views will be extremely interesting to us.
You will receive further details later, but we would appreciate having your acceptance soon so we may complete our agenda.
Cordially,

親愛(ài)的[羅杰博士]:

[南開(kāi)大學(xué)外文系]特邀請(qǐng)您出席[1993年12月30日（星期六）早八點(diǎn)在（系會(huì)議室）]召開(kāi)的[學(xué)術(shù)年會(huì)]并作演講。

正如您所了解的,，[南大外文系]對(duì)[20世紀(jì)的英國(guó)文學(xué)頗感興趣],。您對(duì)此領(lǐng)域很熟悉，您的見(jiàn)解定會(huì)給我們帶來(lái)很大的興趣,。

我們將隨后把有關(guān)細(xì)節(jié)通知您,，但懇請(qǐng)您盡快予以答復(fù)，以便作出安排,。