Letters of Invitation

Letters of invitation can be formal or informal in style, depending on the situation and on the
social status of the recipient.
Letters of invitation include several additional information, such as:
- latest news
- description of the event
- place
- directions to the place (I have included some directions...; In case you do not know the
exact location...; Here are a few directions...; I’ll give you some directions...; In case
you don’t know the way...)

Useful language

- Introducing the reason for writing

Examples:
We would be honored if you...
We cordially invite you to...
You are invited to attend...
I’m writing to invite you to...
I’d love if you could come to...
We’re organizing a .... and would love if you could come...

- Ending the letter

Example:
Please indicate whether you will be able to attend...
I hope you’ll be able to make it...
Hope you can come...
Looking forward to seeing you...
Please let me know if you could come...

Letter of invitation
Layout
Sender’s address
Date
Recipient’s address
Greeting

I. Introduction
Paragraph 1 – reason(s) for writing (to invite)
II. Main body
Paragraphs 2-3 – subject development: details about the event; directions
III. Conclusion
Final paragraph – closing remarks

Ending
full name
Exercises

1. Read the following letter of invitation and identify the topic of each paragraph.

Mary Green
Sociological Research Centre
Oxford University
23 Oxford Street
Oxford 241415
31st January 2010
Mrs. Jenifer Stevenson
Vice-President
National Sociological Association
52 National Street
London 215252

Dear Mrs. Stevenson

My name is Mary Green and I am writing on behalf of our Sociological Research Centre,
within Oxford University. We would like to invite you to attend a special event being held at
the Campus in two weeks’ time.

The members of our Sociological Research Centre have been working on a project which
relates to the unemployment problem within the population of our country. You are invited to
attend a presentation that will be held within the Socrates Amphitheater of our university. The
presentation will emphasize different solutions for our country which will lead to the
development of employment opportunities.

At the presentation, there will attend several professors and students receiving awards for
their valuable contribution brought to the research conducted within our Centre. The
documents disseminating the results of our research will be available on this occasion.

As one of the prominent figures in the Sociological field, we would be honored by your
attendance. Please reply by Friday the 15th of February to confirm your attendance.

We look forward to seeing you there,

Yours sincerely,
Professor Mary Green, PhD

2. Identify the writing style and the tone of the letter in exercise 1. Give reasons for your
choice.

3. Read again the letter in exercise 1 and answer the following questions:
a. Why was the letter written?
b. What reason is given for the invitation?
c. Which is the event described in the letter ?

4. Fill in the blanks with the following words: expect, honored, invite, send, purpose, theme,
held, pleased, attend, tackled.

Dear Mr. Hallow:

The ………. of this letter is to ……… you, on behalf of the Board of Directors, to ……….
the upcoming 2009 International Affairs Conference, as a keynote speaker.

The ……… of this conference is "International Affairs and Globalisation" and it will be
………. at the Economic Science University, in London, from May 13 to 15, 2009. We
……… attendance this year to be the highest ever, i.e. around 1,500 delegates and 100
speakers.

We will ……….. you a complete draft speaker program in a couple of weeks in order to give
you an idea of the specific subjects that will be ……….. by our conference participants.

In closing, we would be ………. and ………. if you would be able to attend our 2009
International Affairs Conference, as a keynote speaker.

Yours sincerely,

Peter Bollow

5. Read the invitation letter in exercise 4 and identify the topic of each paragraph.

6. Read again the letter in exercise 4 and answer the following questions:
a. Why was the letter written?
b. What reason is given for the invitation?
c. Which is the event described in the letter ?
7. Fill in the blanks:

Dear Mr. Green,

I would like to ........... you to visit the Cambridge University where we are engaged ...........
an interesting learning project that involves students ......... solving problems ........ their
schools and communities as part ....... their academic studies. Students become more
effective citizens .......... acts of kindness and civic action.

May we suggest that you visit us …… 15th May 2009, ……. 10 a.m. This will give you an
opportunity to see our program …….. action. I have also invited our community partners and
several families …….. students. They are eager to talk …… you …….. the importance of
investing in these type ……. activities.

We have also enclosed a profile of our program for your reference. Please indicate whether
you will be able to attend.

Sincerely,

Miley Brown.

8. Read the invitation letter in exercise 7 and identify the topic of each paragraph.

9. Read again the letter in exercise 7 and answer the following questions:
a. Why was the letter written?
b. What reason is given for the invitation?
c. Which is the event described in the letter ?

Final Exercise

1. You are the President of an important private Long-Life Training Center and you are
organizing a press conference in order to announce the signing up of an agreement with the
Ministry of Education. Write a letter adressed to the local authorities, inviting them to attend
this press conference.

2. You work at the French Embassy, in the US. Write a letter addressed to the President of the
US, inviting him to attend the reception organised by the Ambassador of the French Republic.

Answers:

Exercise 4
purpose, invite, attend, theme, held, expect, send, tackled, pleased, honored

Exercise 7
invite, in, in, within, of, through/ by means of, on, at, in, of, with, about, of

Letters Accepting/ Refusing an Invitation

Letters accepting/ refusing an invitation can be both formal and informal.
Letters accepting an invitation begin by expressing thakns for the invitation. Other comments
can be inserted, such as asking whether there is anything we can do or asking for more details
concerning the event we are invited to.
Letters refusing an invitation also begin by expressing thanks for the invitation and continue
by giving reasons for refusing it.

Useful Language

Letters for accepting an invitation

- Introducing the reason for writing

Examples:
I am writing in order to thank you for your kind invitation...
Thank you for the invitation which I would be extremely honored to accept...
Thanks for the invitation to...

- Ending the letter

Example:
I look forward to seeing you.
We await the event with great anticipation.
See you then.
We’re looking forward to it.

Letters for refusing an invitation

- Introducing the reason for writing

Examples:
We thank you for your invitation to... but...
Thanks for the invitation, but...
Thanks for inviting me to..., but...
I’m afraid I can’t come to...

- Ending the letter

Example:
I am extremely sorry to miss the opportunity to...
Thank you again for the invitation.
I hope we will have another opportunity to meet.
I hope we can get together some other time...
I’m really sorry we’ll have to miss...

Letter for accepting an invitation

Layout
Sender’s address
Date
Recipient’s address
Greeting

I. Introduction
Paragraph 1 – reason(s) for writing: thanks for the invitation
II. Main body
Paragraphs 2-3 – subject development: acceptance of invitation, further
comments

III. Conclusion
Final paragraph – closing remarks

Ending
full name

Letter for refusing an invitation

Layout
Sender’s address
Date
Recipient’s address
Greeting

I. Introduction
Paragraph 1 – reason(s) for writing: thanks for the invitation
II. Main body
Paragraphs 2-3 – subject development: refusal of invitation, giving reasons

III. Conclusion
Final paragraph – closing remarks

Ending
full name
1. Fill in the blanks:

Dear Mr. and Mrs. White,

Thank you for the ............... to the wedding of Billy and Mary. My husband and I accept the
invitation, ............ unfortunately our daughter, Sally, will not be able to attend.

We are looking ........... to a beautiful and joyous celebration .......... the happy couple.

Please advise ........ there is a wedding gift registry.

........... sincerely,
Susan Brown.

2. What is the purpose of the letter in exercise 1?

3. Read again the letter in exercise 1 and identify the purpose of each paragraph.

4. In what style is the letter written? Give reasons for your choice.

5. Fill in the blanks with the following words: arriving, attend, contact, staying, held,
regarding, thinking, reached, leaving, delighted.

Dear Mr. White

Me and my colleague are …….. to accept your invitation at the Conference which will be
……… on September 14th at your University.
We will be …….. the evening before and ………. at the Oxford hotel. We can be ………
there in case there is any last minute change of plans ……… the Conference.
We will be ………. our office for Paris one week prior to the Conference date; therefore, if
you need to …….. us again, please phone Mrs. Green. She will know how to reach us.
Thank you for ……… of us on this occasion. We will be eager to…….. .
Yours sincerely,
Dan Freeman

6. What is the purpose of the letter in exercise 5?

7. Read again the letter in exercise 5 and identify the purpose of each paragraph.

8. In what style is the letter written? Give reasons for your choice.

Final exercise
1. You are the mayor of London and you have been invited by the Dean of the Faculty of
Public Administration, Youth University, to attend an important festivity held within the
Campus. Write a letter in which you accept the invitation.
2. You are a member of the Bar and you have been invited to participate to an International
Conference entitled “More Law, Less Justice”. Write a letter in which you accept the
invitation.

Answers
Exercise 1
invitation, but, forward, for, if, Yours

Exercise 5
delighted, held, arriving, staying, reached, regarding, leaving, contact, thinking, attend

1. Fill in the blanks:

Dear Mrs. Brown:

Thank you ......... your invitation ........ the reception organised ....... the honor of Mr. Edmund
White. Unfortunately, I will be ……. London on November 7, and, therefore, will be unable
to accept your kind invitation to meet you and your associates ……. this occasion.

If it is possible I would like to have Mr. Joh Smith, vice president, represent me …… this
reception. I asusre you he is one …….. the best employees …….. our company.

I also hope you will invite me again …… another get-together. We are eager to develop our
co-operation and to extend the use …….. our facilities to your entire organization. Please let
us know how we can be …. further service.

Best wishes with the reception.

Yours sincerely,
George Simons

2. What is the purpose of the letter in exercise 1?

3. Read again the letter in exercise 1 and identify the purpose of each paragraph.

4. In what style is the letter written? Give reasons for your choice.

5. Fill in the blanks with the following words: involved, accomplishment, invitation, inform,
honoring, attend, scheduled, watched, opportunity, made, regret, impressed.

Dear Mrs. Simons:

Thank you for your recent ………. to the reception …….. your board of directors in your new
office building. However, with deep …….. I must …… you that I will not be able to……. , as
I have an extremely important reunion in London, which has been …….. for several months,
and, because so many people are…….. , it is impossible to change it.
I have ………. your building go up almost from the start and I am sincerely ……… by the
tremendous efforts …….. in order to finish the project in such as short time.
I hope you will give me another ……….. in the future to visit with you and congratulate you
in person for the ……… of your projet.
Yours sincerely,
John Smith

6. What is the purpose of the letter in exercise 5?

7. Read again the letter in exercise 5 and identify the purpose of each paragraph.

8. In what style is the letter written? Give reasons for your choice.

Final exercise

1. You are the President of an advertising company and you have been invited to attend a
business meeting. However, at the respective date out are out of the country. Write a letter in
which you refuse the invitation.
2. You are a public servant and you have been invited to participate to an International
Conference entitled “Laws, Justice and Globalism”. However, you are not a specialist within
this field. Write a letter in which you refuse the invitation.

Answers
Exercise 1
for, to, in, in, on, at, of, of, for, of, of

Exercise 5
invitation, honoring, regret, inform, attend, scheduled, involved, watched, impressed, made,
opportunity, accomplishment