Do you know how to respond to invitations correctly in an English context? We'll teach you how to give, accept and decline invitations. (来源：老牌的英语学习网站 http://www.EnglishCN.com)

　　Accepting an Invitation 接受邀请

　　You must have had the experience of giving and receiving invitations. Do you remember the last invitation from a friend? How did you settle the visit with your friend?

　　一般说来，你确定接受某个邀请之后，需要跟邀请人确认date，time和place三项，并且表达你的pleasure or gratitude。

　　在上面的flash对话中，Liu接受了去Chris家里做客的邀请。下面展示了Liu和Chris之间两个版本的对话。比较一下这两个对话有何不同。

　　版本一：

　　CHRIS: Hi, Liu! How's it going?

　　LIU: Fine, thanks. You?

　　CHRIS: Can't complain. Listen Liu, I wonder if you would like to come round and have a meal sometime?

　　LIU: Yeah, thanks a lot, that would be great!

　　CHRIS: What about Saturday evening?

　　LIU: Sure, Saturday evening would be fine. What time?

　　CHRIS: Let's make it around six. That okay?

　　LIU: Great!

　　CHRIS: You know where I live, don't you?

　　LIU: Yeah. No problem. Thanks very much. I really look forward to that.

　　版本二：

　　Chris: Hi, Liu! How are you?

　　Liu: Fine, thanks. You?

　　Chris: Not bad. Listen Liu, I wonder if you would like to come to my home and have a meal sometime?

　　Liu: Yeah, thanks a lot, that would be great!

　　Chris: Would Saturday evening be fine for you?

　　Liu: Sure, Saturday evening would be fine. What time shall we meet then?

　　Chris: Let's meet at about six o'clock. Is that okay?

　　Liu: Great!

　　Chris: You know where I live, don't you?

　　Liu: Yeah. No problem. Thanks very much. I really look forward to that.

　　看出不同了吗？版本一适用于相熟的朋友之间，而版本二则适用于正式场合。

　　除此之外，我们还应该了解西方做客的一个小礼仪：如果你和主人约好一个时间见面，那么你最好准时或者推迟5-7分钟到达。It is polite in the West to arrive at the time specified or within five or seven minutes after that time. 不要提前到达哦。主人们正在抓紧最后的时间准备一切，所以给他们多一些准备时间吧。

　　由此可见，上面对话中when Chris says "Let's make it around six", he actually means "not before six"。

　　邀请典型例句：

　　I wonder if you would like to come around and have a meal sometime? 不知可否请您来家里吃顿便饭?

　　What about Saturday evening? 星期六怎么样?

　　Let's make it around six. 咱们约在六点左右吧。

　　Declining an Invitation 拒绝邀请

　　Some people find that saying "no" to a friend is extremely hard sometimes. Are you this kind of person? If you are tied up and cannot go to your friend's party, how do you say "no" and at the same time sound inoffensive? 拒绝比接受更难。如何委婉得体地拒绝别人？赶快看看下面的10个例句。

　　1. I am sorry to turn you down. 我很抱歉必须拒绝你。

　　Turn you down 就是拒绝别人的要求。例如有一次请老美去参加一个 party，她说她很抱歉无法参加，就是用的这句I am sorry to turn you down.。另外男生追女生，女生想拒绝他，也可以用 turn down。例如I am sorry but I have to turn you down.。

　　另外不要忘，turn down 还有一个解释就是把音量或是空调关小。还有不要把 turn you down 和 let you down 搞混，这二者是完全不同的意思：turn down 表示拒绝，而 let down 则表示让人家失望。

　　2. I am not interested. 我没有兴趣。

　　当电话推销员找上门来，这时你要说的就是I am not interested，这样子对方就不会纠缠太久了。

　　通常在拒绝别人的时候要注意一下说话的语气，像这句 I am not interested. 听来就不太客气。通常要使得拒绝别人的话听来客气一点，只要在句首加上I am sorry.整句话的口气立刻就不一样了。所以礼貌一点的说法就是I am sorry. I am not interested. 听起来是不是客气很多？

　　3. I'll think about it. 我要考虑看看。

　　这句话是在买东西时候讲的。例如你去百货公司专柜买化装品，虽然专柜小姐讲了半天你也觉得还不错，但总觉得太贵，你就可以说OK, I'll think about it.我再考虑看看。当然你就可以趁机脱身了。

　　4. I can't afford it. 我付不起。

　　一样东西太贵你买不起就可以这么说I can't afford it. 你都讲明没钱了，想必人家不会继续纠缠吧。

　　美国买东西都有所谓的 refund 制度，就是东西买完之后不满意都可以拿去退钱。有时候店员会问你(通常不会问)为什么要拿来 refund，通常你就可以直截了当地说I don't like it.或者It's too expensive. I can't afford it.。

　　5. I can't handle it. 我应付不来。

　　Handle 跟 afford 的区别要分清楚：handle 指的是事情上应付不来，而 afford 多半指金钱上无法负担。例如工作很多做不完，你就可以说 There's too much workload here. I can't handle it.。

6. I am really not in the mood. 我真的没有什么心情。

　　Mood 解释成心情，没有心情你可以说成I don't have the mood. 或者I am not in the mood.。比如考试期间，别人还找你出去玩，你就可以这么拒绝I am sorry. I am really not in the mood.。

　　7. There is nothing to talk about. 没什么好说的。