WRITING Writing a Letter of Invitation and a Response

Content: Pre-writing While-writing Post-writing

Work in groups Guess which kind of letters are they ???

Letter 1 Dear Katerina Thanks so much for your letter, which arrived yesterday. I’m very happy to hear that you’re coming to England this summer. You say that your English course in Cambridge lasts a month, but you’ll be on holiday so I hope you’ll be able to come and see us. We have a spare room, so there’s no problem about putting you up, and you’re welcome to stay for as long as you like. We’re not going away this summer, so there’s no problem about arranging dates. Please write soon and tell me if you can come. My best wishes to your parents and your brother and sister. My parents send their kindest regards. Love, Jane

Letter 2 53 Murray Avenue Birmingham B14 8KH Dear Mr and Mrs Stafford, Thank you very much for your kind invitation to your daughter Margaret’s wedding. Sandra and I are delighted to accept. It was very thoughtful of you to enquire in your accompanying note whether we were coming down on the previous evening and to offer to find us somewhere to stay in the village. As we have a small baby, we do not want to be away for too long, so we plan to drive down in the morning. Frank tells us that the reception is likely to go on for some time, but for the same reason we will only stay to drink the health of the bride and groom, and then we’ll have to make an early start for home. Thanks, anyway, for thinking of us. We look forward to meeting you on Saturday, 23 rd June. Yours sincerely, Richard Connor

Letter 3 Dear Maggie, It was very kind of your parents to invite John and me to your wedding. Unfortunately, we won’t be able to come, an dI have written to them, expressing our regret, but I felt that I had to write to you personally to say how sorry we are that we can’t make it. The trouble is that the last two weeks in June are the only ones when John and I can both get away from work together, so we booked our holiday to the Greek Islands as soon as we realized this, and there’s no way we can change it. It’s such a pity, because I was looking forward very much to seeing you married. Naturally, we’ll be thinking of you on the day. Have a marvelous time! We wish you all the best for the future, we’re sure that you’ll be happy. Frank is such a wonderful man! John sends his love. Our kindest regards to Frank. Love Marian

LETTER 1 Decide where Jane does the following, writing the paragraph number (1,2, or 3) against each point; if Jane does not include the point in her letter, write 0. Jane: a) invites Katerina to her house b) asks her to reply soon c) tells her she will have her own bedroom d) refers to the content of her letter e) says she will go to Cambridge f) thanks her for her letter g) suggests how long Katerina could stay h) suggests the dates when Katerina must come i) mentions Katerina’s family j) mentions her own family

LANGUAGE NOTES The expression of invitation in this letter was “ I hope …” “ why don’t you come..” “ We think it’d be a good idea if …” “How about coming” More tentative invitations would use expressions like: “ Is there any chance of you / your coming..” “We were wondering if you could /wanted to come…” “We would like to ask you to come…” “We wondered if you’d like to come…” “We would like to invite you to …”

Letters on invitation should include: Reason for party Address Date and day of week Time to arrive Time to leave If a special activity is planned Request for a reply

LETTER Study Richard’ s acceptance of the invitation, and then study the letter from Marian Winslow to Margaret Stafford, explaining why she and her husband cannot accept a similar invitation. Then answer the questions: 1.Compare the beginnings and ends of the two letters. In what ways are the different, and why? 2.Whose friend is Richard, and whose friend is Marian? How do we know this from the content of the letters? 3.Compare the three main paragraphs in each case. In what way is their purpose alike? Account for the differences.

LANGUAGE NOTES ACCEPTANCE I’d be very pleased delighte d very happy to come to … accept your… Your invitation to… is very welcome was a delightful / lovely surprise… Thank you / Thanks for your … The answer is ‘yes’…

Letters on acceptance should : Confirm attendace at the event Thank for the invitation Show interest in the event Promise to come

LANGUAGE NOTES REFUSAL I’m (very) sorry but I’ll have to refuse…/ say ‘no’… I simply can’t make it… / come… I’m terribly sorry to have to … Thank you for your … but unfortunately… It’s not possible for me to …/ (quite) impossible for me to … I’m quite unable to … Note: When you refuse an invitation, offer, or request always give a convincing explanation for your refusal.

Letters on refusal should : Thank for the invitation Express regret for not attending the event Explain the reason Promise to participate in other events in the future

WRITING ACTIVITIES

You are going to celebrate your birthday party. Write a letter of invitation. State the event, place, time and special activities if available.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION