Well, it's been good to meet you Sam, and very interesting to hear about your business.
Look, we are having a small dinner for some of our clients and friends after this. Why
That's very kind of you. I'll just check with my associate whether they have other arrangements
Your associate is most welcome to join us too.
This is Sam Eriks from Eriks imports. He has very kindly invited us to a dinner.
Yes, would you like to join us?
Unfortunately I have another engagement, but thank you for the invitation.
Well, perhaps you could join us after that for a drink?
Sounds great, I'd be happy to. Where shall we meet?
How about the lounge bar here, at about ten?
Lin. Victor's joining us for dinner.
Of course not, you're most welcome.
Would you mind if I just say goodbye to a few people?
No problem - we'll see you outside in a few minutes.
Okay.
Let's look at invitations. How do you go about inviting someone to something? How does Sam
invite Victor to his dinner? Look, we're having a small dinner for some
of our clients and friends after this. Why don't you join us?
Spoken invitations in this kind of situation are semi-formal. It's more like a suggestion
than a formal invitation. There are a few different phrases you can use. Practise them
with Sam. Why don't you join us?
It would be great if you could join us.
Would you like to join us? Notice that even though, "It would be great
if you could join us" is not in a question form, it is still being used as a question.
Notice also how we use could and would in polite invitations, not can or will. How does
Victor reply? That's very kind of you.
He says, "That's very kind of you." When replying to an invitation, first thank
the other person for the invitation, then give your answer. Here's Victor with some
different ways of doing this: Thank you.
That sounds good. And you can put them all together, like this:
Thank you. That's very kind of you.
Sounds good. After thanking the person who asked, you need
to give an answer, either accept the invitation, or don't accept the invitation, or give a
reason why you can't answer. What does Victor do?
That's very kind of you. I'll just check with my associate whether they have other arrangements
for us. Victor says he has to check with someone else.
If there are other arrangements, Victor would make an excuse. When refusing an invitation,
you should give a reason. Look at this: Would you like to join us?
Oh - right. It's rude just to say no without a reason,
and the reason should be a good one. Look again.
No thanks, it doesn't sound very interesting.
Oh. Sam would rightly be offended by that reply.
So what are some ways of making a polite excuse? Listen to Walter.
Yes, would you like to join us?
Unfortunately I have another engagement, but thank you for the invitation.
Walter doesn't need to say what his other engagement, or appointment is - just that
he has already made another commitment. Notice that he still thanks Sam for the invitation.
Practise with Walter some other ways of making an excuse.
Unfortunately I have another engagement.
I'm afraid I have another commitment.
I can't I'm sorry. Perhaps another time? By saying, "Perhaps another time", Walter
is being polite and friendly, rather than just declining the invitation. Notice that
he says, "I can't". This implies that he has another commitment, without having to say
what that commitment is. This is acceptable in business.
Sam and Walter make another arrangement. Watch how they do this.
Perhaps you can join us after that for a drink?
That sounds great. I'd be happy to. Where shall we meet?
How about the lounge bar here, about ten?
I'll see you then. Sam says, "Perhaps you could join us after
that for a drink?" By saying perhaps he is leaving the invitation
open. Walter is under no pressure to accept. Practise these phrases using perhaps with
Sam. Perhaps you'd like to join us later?
Perhaps you'd be interested in meeting us for breakfast?
Perhaps we could meet later in the week? Notice that Sam says you'd. Perhaps "you'd
like to join us later". You'd is short for you would.
Walter accepts and they make the arrangement. Notice the slightly less formal way Walter
accepts. That sounds great. I'd be happy to. Where
shall we meet? You can use these simple phrases to accept
an invitation. Practise them. That sounds great.
I'd be happy to. Walter says, "Where shall we meet?" You can
use shall or will, but shall we is a common usage in questions, simply because it is easier
to say than will we. Shall is also used when asking for, or making suggestions. Let's look
at how Sam makes the arrangement: How about the lounge bar here, at about ten?
I'll see you then. By asking, "Where shall we meet?" Walter is
leaving the details of the arrangement up to Sam. Sam gives a place and a time, but
because this is an informal meeting, he doesn't make it sound like an appointment.
He says, "How about the lounge bar?" How about invites the other person to say
if it is not convenient. And he says, "At about ten?" as a question.
This also leaves room for the other person to suggest a different time. Practise these
two phrases with Sam. Listen carefully to Sam's voice, and whether he uses a rising
or falling tone. How about the lounge bar here?
About ten? Walter confirms the arrangement by saying,
"I'll see you then." This is now a definite commitment, and an end to the arrangement.
Notice how the stress is on the word then, to confirm that the time is definite. Try
saying this: "I'll see you then." Let's have a look now at the end of the scene.
There are some more useful phrases. Mr Tang is joining us for dinner.
Of course not, you're most welcome.
Would you mind if I just say goodbye to a few people?
No problem, we'll see you outside in a few minutes. Okay.
Victor says, "I hope you don't mind". It's a polite way of asking for someone else's
approval but Lin can't really say no, since Victor is listening. But Lin politely confirms
the arrangement. Practise how she does this: Of course not.
You're most welcome. What are the main points we've learned today.
When inviting someone informally, make it sound like a suggestion. That way, if someone
can't accept, they don't feel so bad. "Why don't you join us?" instead of, "I invite
And if you need to make an excuse, don't just refuse an invitation - give a reason, and
apologise. "I'm sorry, I have another commitment." When confirming details, use an upward inflection.
"About ten." sounds like an order. But, "About ten?" is asking whether it's convenient for
That's all for today on the Business of English. See you next time.