Invite a friend to a party

When we invite someone to a party, we use some special phrases. We ask if the person is free. We tell them when and where the party is. We wait for an answer. Friends can say yes (accept) or no (decline). Good invitations are polite, friendly, and clear.

We often use Would you like to…? for a polite invitation. We use I'd love to… to accept, and I'm sorry, I can't… to decline without being rude. We also ask follow-up questions like What time does it start? and Where is it?

Here are the most useful phrases for invitations:

In British English, we say flat (not apartment) for a home in a building. We also use cheers or ta to say thank you in informal situations. Try to use these phrases in your next conversation.

Listen to two friends talk about a party this weekend.

Practise saying this polite invitation. Smile when you speak.

Before you listen, look at the picture. Emma is talking to her friend Tom on the phone. Emma looks happy. Tom is writing something in a small notebook. They are talking about plans for the weekend.

Listen to the conversation and answer three questions. Don't worry about every word. First, listen for the main idea. Then listen for specific information — the day, the time, and the place.

Prediction: What is Emma going to invite Tom to? Listen and find out.

In this conversation, you will hear a polite invitation, a question about the time, a question about the place, and an acceptance. You will also hear some contractions — short forms like I'm, it's, and that's — which are very common in spoken British English. Listen for the stress on the important words: birthday, Saturday, seven, and flat.

Listen to Emma invite Tom to her birthday party.

What is the main topic of the conversation?

On what day is the party?

The short vowel sound /ɪ/ and the long vowel sound /iː/ are two of the most common vowel sounds in English. They appear in many words we use when we talk about parties, invitations, and friends — for example, invite, free, evening, and birthday.

To make the /ɪ/ sound, relax your mouth. Keep your lips slightly open. Your tongue stays low and at the front of your mouth. The sound is short and quick — say 'ih' as in the word sit. This short sound is in words like bit, fit, hit, sit, live (verb), and invite.

To make the /iː/ sound, smile a little and pull your lips gently to the sides. Your tongue moves up, near the roof of your mouth. Hold the sound for a moment longer — say 'ee' as in the word see. This long sound is in words like beat, feet, see, free, evening, and three.

Many learners mix these two sounds, but they are very different. Listen carefully to the difference: sit / seat, bit / beat, fit / feet, live / leave. In British English, the verb invite uses the short /ɪ/ in the middle: in-VITE. The noun invitation has a different vowel in the middle: in-vi-TAY-shun.

Remember: short and relaxed for /ɪ/, long and smiling for /iː/.

To make /ɪ/: relax your mouth, keep your lips slightly open, and your tongue low at the front. Short and quick, like 'ih' in 'sit'. To make /iː/: smile a little, pull your lips gently to the sides, and lift your tongue near the roof of your mouth. Longer, like 'ee' in 'see'.

Say the word aloud. Notice the short /ɪ/ in the middle: in-VITE. Keep your mouth relaxed.

Say the word aloud. Smile a little and hold the long /iː/ sound.

Read the sentence aloud. Notice the long /iː/ in 'see' and the short /ɪ/ in 'invite'.

Reading strategy: Reading for specific information — When you read an invitation, don't read every word. First, look quickly for the important information. Ask yourself: What is the event? When is it? Where is it? How do I reply? This makes reading faster and easier.

Before you read, look at these key words:

• birthday — the day you were born, celebrated each year
• invitation — a written message asking someone to come
• flat — a home in a building (British English for 'apartment')
• evening — the time of day after the afternoon, around 6 pm to night

Now read the email below. It is a birthday party invitation from Emma to her friend Sam. The email is short and friendly. It uses contractions like it's, I'm, and we're to sound natural. It also has clear information: the date, the time, the place, and how to reply.

When you read, look only for the answers to these questions:

1. When is the party?
2. Where is the party?
3. How does Sam reply?

From: Emma To: Sam Subject: Birthday Party!

Hi Sam,

How are you? I have great news — it's my birthday next Saturday, 15 June! I'm having a party at my flat at 7 o'clock in the evening. My address is 15 Park Road, Flat 2.

We're going to have music, pizza, and a big birthday cake. I really hope you can come!

Please tell me by Thursday. You can call me or send me a message.

Love, Emma

What is the main reason Emma is writing this email?

Where is the party?

When we invite a friend to a party, we use a few key phrases. Listen to the model conversation, then practise saying the same sentences. Try to sound friendly, polite, and natural. Speak slowly and clearly. Smile when you talk — it makes your voice sound warmer.

Here are some useful phrases for inviting and responding:

Remember: a good invitation is clear, friendly, and polite. A good response is short and clear too. If you can't come, say no politely and add maybe next time. In British English, we often say flat for home and cheers for thank you.

Listen to this model conversation. Notice the polite phrases.

Say the invitation aloud. Speak slowly, smile, and use a friendly voice.

Say the response aloud. You are accepting the invitation and asking for more information.

When we write a party invitation, we use short, friendly sentences. We say what the party is for, when it is, where it is, and we ask the person to come. We also tell them how to reply.

Here is a model invitation. It is informal, so the writer uses contractions:

Hi Alex, It's my birthday on Saturday! I'm having a party at my flat. It starts at 7 pm. There's food, music, and cake. Can you come? Please tell me soon! Love, Emma

Using contractions in informal writing

In informal writing like invitations, we use contractions to sound friendly and natural. A contraction is two words joined together with an apostrophe ('). It is short and informal.

Look at these contractions in the model:

• It's (= It is) my birthday
• I'm (= I am) having a party
• There's (= There is) food, music, and cake
• can't (= cannot)

Contractions make your message warm and personal. We use them with friends and family. We don't usually use them in formal letters or to people we don't know well.

When you write your own invitation, remember three things:

1. Use two or three contractions (I'm, it's, there's, can't).
2. Include the basic information: the day, the time, and the place.
3. End with a friendly question, like 'Can you come?'

Now read the model invitation again. Then try writing your own in your notebook. You can invite a friend to a birthday party, a house party, or any other celebration.

Writing tip: Using contractions in informal invitations. A contraction is two words joined together with an apostrophe: I'm = I am, it's = it is, there's = there is, can't = cannot. Use them to sound friendly and natural. Don't use them in formal letters.

What does 'I'm' mean in the model invitation?

Read this example invitation aloud. Notice the contractions: It's, I'm. Now, in your notebook, write your own invitation. Try to use two or three contractions. Then read it aloud.