COMMUNICATION

Writing a party
invitation

LEVEL NUMBER LANGUAGE

Intermediate (B1) EN_B1_2091X English

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 Learning outcomes

● I can write a well-structured

invitation to a party.

● I can respond to an invitation

to a party using a range of
vocabulary and phrases.

2
 Warm-up
Which of these activities do you enjoy doing most with your friends?

Meeting for a walk or a coffee

Watching a film at the cinema

Going out clubbing

Having a dinner party

3
 Read the text messages

Stephanie Stephanie

Hi Tabitha, Hi Ronald,
How are you doing? Long How are things? Hope you
time no speak! How’s the enjoyed your trip to Portugal
new flat? and got some downtime.
Are you doing anything on
Just dropping you a text, as
Saturday evening by any
I’m having a barbecue at chance? I’m having a
mine on Saturday night. Are barbecue at my place with a
you free then? If so, would few other people. Would
you like to come? Everyone’s you like to join? I’d love to
arriving between 7.30 and 8 see you. Bring some
and bringing something for sausages for the barbecue
the barbecue. Would be and also a plus one if you
great to see you and catch feel like it!
Talk soon - Steph
up! - Stephanie

1. What kind of party is Stephanie having? When is it taking place?

2. Who is Stephanie close friends with? Tabitha or Ronald?

4
 Look at Stephanie’s texts again
Find all the phrases for each category. Work in breakout rooms or together as a class.

Ask how the other Ask if they are free Invite the person Say she wants to
person is or not to her barbecue see them

Hi Tabitha, Hi Ronald,
How are you doing? Long time no How are things? Hope you enjoyed
speak! How’s the new flat? your trip to Portugal and got some
Just dropping you a text, as I’m downtime. Are you doing anything
having a barbecue at mine on on Saturday evening by any chance?
Saturday night. Are you free then? If I’m having a barbecue at my place
so, would you like to come? with a few other people. Would you
Everyone’s arriving between 7.30 like to join? Would love to see you.
and 8 and bringing something for Bring some sausages for the
the barbecue. Would be great to see barbecue and also a plus one if you
you and catch up! feel like it! Talk soon

5
 Writing an invitation
Complete the sentences to form the phrases from the text. How many can you remember?

1 2 3 4

Asking how they Asking if they are Inviting the Saying you want
are free person over to see them

How... Are… Would you… Would…

How… Are… Would you… Would…

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 Writing the perfect invitation Real-life language

Just dropping you

Bring a plus one to Would be great to
a text to invite you
the barbecue! catch up!
to…

What’s another way Tom is Natasha’s Stephanie’s catching

of saying dropping plus one. What does up with Tabitha.
someone a text? this mean? What’s she doing?

7
 Read the replies

Tabitha Ronald

Hi Stephanie, Hi Stephanie,
Great to hear from you. The Portugal was amazing,
flat is great. I really love thanks! Both Porto and
living in this part of London. Lisbon are incredibly
Thanks a lot for the beautiful. Thanks a lot for
invitation. I’m free on thinking of me, but I won’t
Saturday and would love to be able to make it on
come. Do you mind if I bring Saturday. My Mum’s in town
my boyfriend? He’s vegan, and I bought us tickets for
so we’ll make sure to bring the theatre. Let’s meet for a
something that he can eat. drink during the week, so
Looking forward to seeing we can catch up. Have fun
you and catching up. Best - on Saturday and don’t drink
Tabitha too much! - Ron

1. Who is coming to the barbecue?

2. Who can’t come? What reason do they give?

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 Complete with the missing words

Tabitha Ronald

Hi Stephanie, Hi Stephanie,
Great to hear from you. The Portugal was amazing,
flat is great. I really love thanks! Both Porto and
living in this part of London. Lisbon are incredibly
_______________ a lot for the beautiful. Thanks a lot for
invitation. I’m free on thinking of me, but I won’t
Saturday and would be able to _______________ it
_______________ to come. Do on Saturday. My Mum’s in
you mind if I bring my _______________ and I bought
boyfriend? He’s vegan, so us tickets for the theatre.
we’ll make sure to bring Let’s meet for a
something that he can eat. _______________ during the
_______________ forward to week, so we can catch up.
seeing you and catching up. Have fun on Saturday and
don’t drink too much!

thanks town drink love looking make

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 Thanks a lot ___ the
invitation!

Thanks a lot ___

thinking of me!

We can begin our reply to an

invitation by saying thanks.

Which preposition do we use with

the word thanks?

10
 Replying to an invitation
Sort the phrases on the left into the correct category on the right.

Accepting an invitation
1 Sadly, I won’t be able to make it

2 I would love to!

Rejecting an invitation
3 Looking forward to seeing you on Saturday!

4 Sounds great. Count me in!

Saying when you will see them

5 Let’s meet for a drink during the week! next

6 I’m not free then, I’m afraid!

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 Real-life language

Do you mind if I bring

my boyfriend? He’s
vegan.

Tabitha asks Stephanie this question

in her reply.

What do vegans not eat?

12
 Write a short invitation
Invite one of your classmates to a party at the weekend. Use the chat function to write to
them directly. Follow the structure in the red box to help you.

• Ask them how they are

• Ask if they are free at the weekend

• Invite them to your party

• Say you want to see them

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 Reply to their invitation
Again, use the chat function to reply to the invitation that you just received. Would you like
to go to their party or not?

• Say thank you

• Say yes or no to their invitation

• If no, give a reason

• Mention any dietary requirements

• Say when you will see them next

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 Time to talk!
Ask a classmate as many of the following questions as you can. What can you find out about
them?

• When was the last time you had a

dinner party at your house?
• How often do you have dinner parties
with friends or family?
• Are there any foods that you avoid
eating? Why do you avoid them?
• How easy is it to be vegetarian, vegan
or gluten free in your country?
• Are you allergic to anything? Is anyone
among your friends or family? Are
there any foods or cuisines that they
avoid eating?

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 Let’s reflect

● Can you write a well-structured

invitation to a party?

● Can you respond to an invitation to

a party using a range of vocabulary
and phrases?

Your teacher will now make one suggestion

for improvement for each student.

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End of lesson

Idiom

life and soul of the party

Meaning: To be a very lively and entertaining person at a social occasion.

Example: My friend Sally is the life and soul of the party. She makes everyone happy!
Additional practice

Additional practice

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 Order the sentences
Put the parts of the invitation in order. What is the invitation for?
Additional practice

1 How are you doing? Long time no speak! How’s the new job?

I’m having some drink with a few other people to celebrate my birthday. Would you like to
2
come?

3 Hi Taylor,

4 Are you doing anything on Thursday evening by any chance?

Would be great to see you and catch up.

5
- Laura

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 Write a reply to Laura’s invitation
Additional practice

Birthday drinks

To: Laura

Hi Laura,

….

Say whether you would like If not, suggest another

Say thank you
to join or not time to meet

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 Fill in the gaps
Complete the sentences using the words in the box.
Additional practice

Are you _________________ on Saturday night by any chance? I am having

1
a birthday party at mine.

Susy and I are meeting some friends at the pub on Thursday. Would
2
you _______________ us?
join
would
3 You can bring some sausages and a _______________ if you want. free
plus one
speak
4 Hi Reese! Long time no _______________. How are you?

Let’s meet for some drinks. _______________ be great to see you and
5 catch up after so long.

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 How about you?
Choose one of the questions and ask a classmate to find out more about them.
Additional practice

How do you invite What was the last

people to an event? Do event somebody
you text or call them? invited you to?

Do you always give When was the last time

an excuse when you rejected an
rejecting invitation? What did
invitations? you say?

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 Answer key

P.4: 1. Stephanie is having a barbecue and it’s taking place on Saturday evening.
2. Stephanie is closer friends with Ronald.
P.5: Ask how the person is: How are things?; How are you doing?
Ask if they are free: Are you free then?; Are you doing anything on … by any
chance?
Invite to her barbecue: Would you like come?; Would you like to join?
Say she wants to see them: Would be great to see you; Would love to see you
P.8: 1. Tabitha is coming to the barbecue.
2. Ronald is not coming, as his mother is visiting him.
P.9: Thanks, love, looking; make, town, drink
P.11: Accepting: I would love to; Sounds great. Count me in!
Rejecting: Sadly, I won’t be able to make it; I’m not free then, I’m afraid
Saying when…: Looking forward to seeing you on Saturday; Let’s meet for a d
rink during the week.
P.19: 3, 1, 4, 2, 5

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 Summary

● How to structure an 1. Asking how the person is 3. Invite them to the party
invitation to a party: 2. Asking if the person is free or 4. Say you want to see them
not on a certain day

● Asking how the person is: How are things?; How are you doing?
● Asking if they are free: Are you free on…?; Are you doing anything on… by any chance?
● Inviting them to an event: Would you like to come?; Would you like to join us?
● Saying you want to see them: Would be great to see you!; Would love to see you!

● Accepting an invitation: I would love to!; Sounds great. Count me in!

● Rejecting an invitation Sadly, I won’t be able to make it.; I’m not free then, I’m afraid.

● We use the preposition for after thanks or thank you: e.g. Thank you for the invitation!
● If we follow thanks for with a verb, we use the -ing form. e.g. Thanks for inviting me to your party!
● We also use the –ing form after the phrase looking forward to: e.g. Looking forward to seeing you!

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 Vocabulary

How are things? to catch up

How are you doing? Sounds great. Count me in!

Are you free? I won’t be able to make it!

Would you like to join? I’m not free then, I’m afraid!

Are you doing anything on Saturday evening? Looking forward to seeing you!

by any chance Let’s meet for a drink during the week!

Would be great to see you! vegan

Would love to see you! dietary restrictions

to bring a plus one

to drop someone a text

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 Notes

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