邀请某人参加招待会、宴会、庆祝活动、报告会等，通常需要事前发出请帖。愈是正式的活动，愈是重要的客人，愈要提早发出请柬。一般都需要在一两周之前邀请。
请柬通常有固定的格式，印在硬纸片上，政府的正式请柬往往还烫金凸印，一般情况下也需要打字，只是在至亲好友间才会手写。
请帖有三种格式：
1) X invites you to a reception (party, etc. ) at (place) on (date) at (time).
2) You are warmly (cordially) invited to attend a reception (party, etc. ) at (place) on (date) at (time).
3) X request(s) the pleasure of your company (the company of Mr. Y) at a reception (dinner,etc. ) at (place) on (date) at (time).
在这三种格式中，最后一种比较正式，其他两种比较随便。除了上述基本内容外，在请柬右下角一般还附有其他说明：一种是写R.S．V．P．(请答复)，再写电话号码；或写For Regrets Only，意思是：如不能参加，请回话(反过来说，如能参加可不必答复)。一种是注明需要穿哪类服装，如果写Dress lnformal，Dress Optional，意思是衣着随便；一般场合可不加注，或注Lounge suit／Day dress；正式场合注Black tie，规定男士戴黑色领结、着宴会小礼服，女士着长裙；十分正式的场合注White tie男客人需戴白色领结、着夜礼服，女客人需着质地高雅(通常坦胸露背)的长连衣裙。
[实例]
1. THE CHAIRMAN, VICE-CHAIRMAN AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
AUSTRALIA-CHINA COUNCIL INVITE YOU TO ATTEND A RECEPTION AT
THE PEACE HOTEL.
Monday 23 August 1983 R.S.V.P.
5.00--6.00 pm. (522331 Extn. 177)
[说明]
书信是一种常见而重要的实用文体。书信有许多种类：致谢信、求职信、邀请信、证明信、祝贺信等。书信的最主要的用途是交流情况和信息。一般书信在表达方面应该直截了当，语言自然贴切，形式合乎规范。
便条是一种简单的书信。格式比一般书信更自由，通常不写发信人地址，开头甚至可以略去Dear，结尾一般略去祝贺的话和Yours sincerely。语言比一般的信更接近口语。这类便条大多不通过邮局投递，而是由人转交或直接放在办公桌上或钉在门上。写信人和收信人对相互的的情况都十分熟悉，因此一般的客套话都省略。
[实例]
1. May 2 Dear Jack,
Im afraid that I had to go at 12.00 today to meet an overseas visitor (from Beijing). Could you please ring me to make another time--many thanks.
Ted
2. June 6 Dear Mr Martin,
This letter was not delivered to you--perhaps it had the wrong address. So I will try again and forward it to you via the Smiths. Yours sincerely, James Stone
3. August 8
Brian,
I am having Level 7 for coffee and cheesecake in my flat (2303) tomorrow night (Monday) about 9 p.m.
Do come if you are free.
Joan
4. 4th May, 1995
Dear Mrs Lindley,
Could you please supply me with another photograph of yourself？ I realize I do not have one for our files and it is important that we have a photograph of you on file. Thank you.
Mary Anne
SECRETARY TO THE DIRECTOR
5. Joe,
Can you tell me what time and where the examination is on Saturday for the two classes I have. Also can you tell me what I m supposed to do. I also would like to know if the younger group was supposed to have listened to an outside listening comprehension for today. If so, which one？ Im trying to decide what to do with them today. Thanks.
Phyllis
6. March 9, 90
Xiao Li,
I have an excellent candidate for the students speakers programme: shelley Young. Shes an outstanding teacher at Guangbo Xueyuan and a friend of Annettes and mine.
Shes just returned from a few weeks visit to her native U.S.A. I unreservedly recommend her to speak on her impressions of USA today. She spoke fascinatingly on the subject to me last night.
Telephone and room number at Youyi: 89 - 0351 Ext 4422.
David
7. Monday a. m.
Lao Zhang,
Ive started going over my notes and Im inclined to think it better to limit the scope of my talk. So perhaps we d better change the title to "6 Weeks in U. S. A. ". ( I could include our week in Tokyo, but perhaps we neednt lutter up the title with that. )
Sam
8. 18th December, 1989
Mr Gordon,
Having spoken to Miss Ellis of the Department of History this morning I learn that you might be able to arrange for the attached Christmas cards to go to the students named. I would appreciate this if you could manage it without inconvenience to yourself.
Yours sincerely,
……
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