邀请信包括宴会、舞会、晚餐、聚会、婚礼等各种邀请信件，形式上大体分为两种:一种为正规的格式 (formal correspondence)，亦称请柬；一种是非正式格式 (informal correspondence), 即一般的邀请信。邀请信是在形式上不如请柬那样正规，但也是很考究。书写时应注意:
邀请信一定要将邀请的时间（年、月、日、钟点）、地点、场合写清楚，不能使接信人存在任何疑虑。例如:“I’d like you and Bob to come to Luncheon next Friday.”这句话中所指的是哪个星期五并不明确，所以应加上具体日期, “I’d like you and Bob to come to luncheon next Friday, May the fifth.”
1. 邀请朋友共进午餐 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
亲爱的[张营]:
您能在[5月5日星期五中午12点钟] 来吃午饭吗？
我侄女[玛丽]正在我们家中作客，我想您会乐于见到她的。她是个漂亮而聪明的女孩子，……同她在一起是很使人高兴的！[约翰和简]也到这里来，也许在饭后我们能[开个舞会]，说好，一定得来呀！
2. 邀请朋友同他们不认识的人一起共进晚餐 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
亲爱的[苏珊]:
我知道您对[油画]是有兴趣的，所以我相信您对林顿夫妇也会感兴趣。他们将在[10月12日（下星期日）]来吃饭，我们很希望您和瓦尔特也能同来。
[林顿夫妇]是那么好的一对夫妻。我们是去年夏天在[伦敦]认识的。他们集有[各个不同时期精美的油画作品]。我知道，林顿先生在研究[油画]方面是颇有权威的。我深信，那天晚上您和瓦尔特同他们在一起，一定会很愉快。
我们准备在6点钟吃晚饭，这样就能有较长的时间闲谈。如果事前接不到您的回信，我就指望你们那天到来。
3. 邀请参加新厂开工典礼 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,
亲爱的[哈里森先生]:
本公司新厂将于[4月10日]开始投产，希望能邀请[贤伉俪]来参加新厂开工典礼。
如您所知，新厂的设立是本公司的一个里程碑，而这正是海内外对本公司产品不断需求的结果。我们邀请了所有对本公司的成功贡献一切力量的个人，我们相信，您一定会赏光。
如您确能参加，请来函告知您抵达的时间 —— 以便我们为您安排会晤。当然，所有安排您在[10日晚间]夜宿的费用，皆将由公司代您支付。
4. 邀请来家中小住及周末聚会 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,
亲爱的[简]:
如果您[7月24日]没有什么活动安排，我希望[您和弗雷德]能同我们一起在[远庄园]共度周末，那里已经鲜花遍地，现正在最美丽的时节。
我想，今年我们能让[弗雷德]钓鱼钓得更快活。鱼儿比过去任何时候都爱上钓鱼。请把钓鱼的服装带来，也别忘记带上打网球的用具，因为我们还邀约了[欧文]夫妇，我想，你们是乐意同他们打网球的。
[星期五晚上]有一班舒适的火车，我已经在火车时刻表上做了红色记号，火车大约在[7点半钟]把你们送到这里，正是吃晚饭时间。[星期日晚上]你们可以乘晚车回来。或者，在[星期一早晨]也有一班快车，就是[鲍勃]常坐的那一班车。
我们希望没有什么事情会阻碍你们，我们在等待着你们光临……我知道[欧文夫妇]好盼望再次见到你们。准备乘哪一班火车，请一定告诉我们，好让[鲍勃]到车站迎接你们。
5. 邀请参加招待会 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
亲爱的[史密斯先生]:
如您能够出席为[中国代表团]而举行的招待会，[我（们）]将感到十分荣幸。
招待会定于[10月4日（星期二）]在[市政厅]举行。[6点钟]准时举行[鸡犬不宁尾酒会]， 随之在[8点钟]举行[正式的晚宴]。
[我（们）]期待着您的光临。请提前通知您能否出席。
6. 邀请演讲 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,
亲爱的[罗杰博士]:
[南开大学外文系]特邀请您出席[1993年12月30日（星期六）早八点在（系会议室）]召开的[学术年会]并作演讲。
正如您所了解的，[南大外文系]对[20世纪的英国文学颇感兴趣]。您对此领域很熟悉，您的见解定会给我们带来很大的兴趣。
我们将随后把有关细节通知您，但恳请您尽快予以答复，以便作出安排。
