Hi there, this is Harry and welcome back to advanced English lessons with Harry,
where I try to help you to get a better understanding of the English language. If
you're preparing for that all-important job interview, or if you're preparing for those
proficiency exams, you're not quite sure about how to say something, how to write something,
the grammar structure. Well, you've come to the right place. We can help you with
all of those. Improve your vocabulary, introduce some key expressions and phrases.
And then our particular lesson today, our advanced English lesson today,
we're looking at ways in which you can deal with an invitation. So great ways in
which you can respond to an invitation. So we're going to look at positive responses,
negative responses, and of course, some neutral responses as well.
Okay, and if you find out that you liked this particular lesson, then please like the video,
and if you can subscribe to our channel, because it does, it really, really helps.
Okay, so let's get back to our lesson today. It's all about invitations.
How do we accept an invitation? And how do we refuse an invitation? Or indeed,
if we're not quite sure? How do we sort of strike a neutral balance before you say yes or no. We've
all been in that situation before. You get two invitations, if you're lucky. Two invitations
for a party. Who do you accept? And who do you reject? Or you get an invitation somewhere,
and you don't really want to go either because you don't know the people so well, or you just
can't be bothered. And so you need a way, a nice way in which you can turn down that particular
invitation. So these are all very helpful. Yeah. How to accept and how to decline invitations.
Okay, so let's go through them, I broken them down into a few categories. First one will focus
on the positive. So you want to find different ways in which you can give a positive response.
So the first one might be, Great, I'll see you there. So that could be just a nice,
friendly invitation from your friend to his birthday party. It's nothing special. It's
not a 30th, or 40th, or 50th. You just get a an invitation, either by mobile phone, by text,
by email, whatever it is, and how you're going to say it such as Thank you. Ah, that's great,
I'll see you there. Meaning Yeah, that's the date. It's in my diary. And I'll be there in
the pub, in the restaurant, at your home, wherever the party is going to take place.
Second. Oh, I'm looking forward to it. So there's a nice positive way to give
somebody a positive response. Yeah, I'd like to invite you to my birthday party or we're
having a bit of a gathering of the family and friends and we'd love it if you could come. Ah,
great. I'm looking forward to it already. Yeah, I'll be there. Put it in my diary.
I wouldn't miss it for the world. Yeah. Okay. So yeah, I'm looking forward to it.
Next, when you're really, really positive, and this is all about intonation in your
voice, Oh, I can't wait. It will be great to catch up with all the old friends again. So perhaps one
of your college mates is organising a reunion. They're great fun. So the they haven't seen each
other for four or five years since everybody left college. So this is the opportunity for
everybody to come together. They're meeting in the centre of town somewhere or somebody's
booked a room above a restaurant or a bar, but all the guys and girls are going to be there.
So different people have been asked to contact the people they knew best. So you get the call
or the text or the email and your response is, Wow, I can't wait. I was really looking
forward to that. It's been ages since I caught up with everybody. I cannot wait.
Now, if you're really happy and you want something very informal, we can use this word "chuffed."
See how it's spelt on the screen there and the pronunciation ch-, chuffed. When I'm chuffed,
it means I'm really happy and perhaps a little bit surprised that you invited me. Oh, perhaps you got
an invitation from your friend to be the godfather or godmother of the new baby. So when you say I'm
chuffed means you're really really excited. In fact, you're honoured to have been selected.
Wow. They picked me, they selected me to be the godmother or the godfather. Or the best man. Or
a bridesmaid. Wow, I'm chuffed. I'm really, really chuffed. And, yeah, that's really really makes me
feel good. Chuffed. So it's very, very informal, but it's a nice way to accept that invitation.
Or something a little bit more formal. Yeah. And so you know, it's not so excitable
there. So you might just say something like, Oh, it's great to be included. So you get invited to
the reunion or you get invited to the birthday party, the Christmas party, whatever the the party
happens to be, yeah... And you want to be there, but you're not overly excited about it, but it's
nice to be asked. So yeah, great to be included. I'll be there. It's great to be included.
And then again, another slightly informal way to reply positively. Yeah,
count me in. So it could be just a simple game of football with the guys. It could
be to go on a pub crawl. It could be good to go on a hike. It could be to do many, many,
many things. And your reply is, Yeah, count me in. Meaning, yeah, I'll be there. Count me in.
And again, a little bit more informal as well. Yeah, I'm up for that. And when I'm
up for something, means you want to do it. You're going to be there. You won't be the first there.
Maybe you will. But you're really up. I'm up for that meaning. Yeah, I want to take part.
Okay. So nice, positive ways in which you can respond to invitations. I'll give them to you
one more time. Great. I'll see you there. Great. I'll see you there. I'm looking forward to it. I'm
looking forward to it. I can't wait. I can't wait. I'm chuffed and chuffed. Great to be
included. Great to be included. Count me in. And then finally, I'm up for that. I'm up for that.
Okay. Now, when you want to say no. And we've all been in that situation, we get the invitation and
you open it. Oh, hmm... I wish they hadn't asked me, I don't really want to go. I don't really like
those people or I'm not so friendly with them. Or I haven't seen them for ages, I'll feel a little
bit awkward. So I need an excuse. So how am I going to tell them I don't want to go without
hurting anybody's feeling? And that's usually how we feel. We want to say no, we want to turn
down the invitation, refuse the invitation. But we want to do it in a way that nobody will be overly
upset and say, Oh, that guy. He never comes to anything. Okay, so let's try a few of these.
I'd love to go, but... Okay, so you get the invitation for the reunion,
I'd love to go but I have to go away on a business trip. I'm really busy these days,
perhaps next time. So you let them down gently. You refuse, but you've got a reason for refusing
because there's a business trip, or there's a family reunion, or a family get-together,
or some special anniversary. I'd love to go, but I promised my wife that I take away for
a weekend. And we haven't been away for such a long time. So again, a good reason and a good
excuse for turning down the invitation. And nobody is going to get upset we hope.
Another one. I'm sorry, I can't make it. I'd love to go, but, you know, it just doesn't suit. I'm
really really busy. We're getting ready for new baby arriving or I've just changed my job or,
you know, I'm training the football... local football team. So these things take
a bit of time. So I'm sorry, I can't make it. But thanks for the invitation anyway.
Another one, I hate to say no, but... So this just gets people to expect to know
I hate to say no, but I'm afraid I have to on this occasion, because it clashes
with another event. And the word "clash" means two events are at the same time,
or more or less the same time. And it's just not going to be possible for you to get back
from one to attend the other. So I hate to say no, but I'm afraid I have to on this occasion,
perhaps the next time or keep me in mind for the next time. Okay, so I hate to say no, but...
Or we can say I'd hate to miss this reunion, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to. I'd hate to miss.
It has been such a long time since the guys got together. Remember, all the good times we had. And
we always promised that we get together again. But you know the way life is? Everything gets on top.
Family work, whatever it might be. So I'd hate to miss it, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to.
So nice ways, nice polite ways, which is really important as how you can say no. So I'd love to
go but... I'm sorry, I can't make it because... I hate to say no, but I'm afraid I'm going to
have to in this occasion. I'd hate to miss it, but, you know, what can I do? Okay, so these are
different ways in which you can say no. Now, of course you can just simply say, No thanks. Yeah,
or I don't want to. Or it's not for me, I'm not a party guy. You know, so you can use those sorts
of excuses. But people get a little browned off, annoyed when somebody constantly says no,
no thanks because they feel you've lost interest. So you just have to be sometimes a little careful
with people's feelings and use expressions that won't offend or won't upset anybody.
Okay, now, the neutral responses. This is where you're neither saying yes or no, but you're just
sort of getting people ready for the fact that there might be or you might have to refuse because
there is a clash of dates or something. So if we want to be neutral, we can use expressions like,
I'll do my best, but I can't promise, okay. Or I'll do my best, but I can't make promises,
or I don't want to make promises that I cannot keep. So when we say, I'll do my best that means,
yeah, look, I'll try a see, can I clear my diary and see if I can move things around a bit,
whatever you have to do. So I'll do my best to be there, but I can't make any promises,
or I can't promise that I will. And perhaps you will let them know,
a few days before or week before, either yes, you're going to go or perhaps no,
not this particular time. Okay. So I will do my best, but I can't make any promises.
Or you might just ask somebody. When is that again? So you want some clarification because
you're really, really trying to find out can you actually make it. Or you're really trying hoping
that the date will clash with another date, so you will have a genuine excuse for saying
no. So when is it again? What date is it again? So you're asking particular dates just for some
clarification that gives you time to think gives you time to organise an excuse if you need one,
perhaps. And those words... polite, When is it again? What date is it again, okay.
Or if somebody your friends are organising a get-together football game, that hiking
that weekend trip away, whatever it might be, or even if it's just a simple dinner
for six or eight guys who used to work together used to play football together,
whatever it is. You might ask the question, does it have to be that particular day because I'm not
really free around then it could have be the next week or couple of days later or a couple of days
earlier? So you're trying to find to see, is there a possibility that they can reorganise
it because yeah, probably you'd enjoy it if you went there. So you're just looking for excuses,
or reasons and options where you can possibly change the date. So you could say something like,
does it have to be that day, because I'm not free then and I'm going to be
away for a few days. But if it was the next week, yep, you can count me in.
And then finally, if one of these sorts of hold or type of situations, I'll see what I can do,
leave it with me. So yeah, I've got the invitation, got the invite. Here,
I've got the details, I really would like to go. So leave it with me. And I'll come
back to you in a couple of days and let you know whether I can or can't. Now that might
be your perfect opportunity to go home and ask your partner. Do you mind if I go away
for this weekend? Do you mind if I go to this dinner? Do you mind ever go here because he or
she may not like the fact that you're going to go without them. So you need just to test the water
and see what the attitude at home will be. So a good way to sort of make a neutral response is,
I'll see what I can do. Again, not making any promises, but I'll see what I can do.
Okay, so there's some neutral ways in which you can respond or reply to that
all-important invitation. I'll do my best, but I can't make any promises.
When is it again? Does it have to be that day? I'll see what I can do, I'll see what I can do.
Okay, so good ways for you to respond positively, negatively or in a neutral fashion. When you get
those invitations for the wedding, for the birthday, for the football match,
for the office or school reunion, whatever it might be, the ways in which you can reply,
okay. And as I always tell you, the best way to use them is to practice them. If you need any
more details, any more help, than just contact me at www.englishlessonviaskype.com I'll give
you some more examples, more situations when you can use them. Okay, Harry saying goodbye. Thanks
for watching. Thanks for listening. As always, don't forget to join me for the next lesson.