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。