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
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