Invitations &Plans
Accepting, politely refusing and reorganising social plans
Your level · You are here
Get Talking · Section 1
5 minStart the conversation
What was the last invitation you said YES to? Why that one?
How do you usually say 'no' to a plan you don't want to go to?
How do you feel about friends who often cancel last-minute? Where's the line?
Grammar · Section 2
8–10 minInviting, accepting, refusing, rescheduling — four small grammars
- Each social move uses a typical structure.
- INVITE with 'Do you fancy + -ing?' ('Do you fancy grabbing coffee?'), 'Would you like to + base?' ('Would you like to come over?'), 'How about + -ing?' ('How about Thursday?').
- ACCEPT warmly: 'I'd love to', 'Sounds great', 'Count me in'.
- REFUSE politely with a SOFTENER + REASON + ALTERNATIVE: 'I'd love to, but I've got plans on Friday — could we do the week after?' Three parts, every time.
- RESCHEDULE with 'Would it be okay to push it to…?', 'Any chance we could move it to…?', 'I might need to take a rain check — can we do another day?' The key pattern across all four: SOFTEN, then GET SPECIFIC, then OFFER A WAY FORWARD.
Do you fancy grabbing dinner on Thursday?
I'd love to — count me in. What time?
I'd love to, but I'm already booked that night. Could we do the following week?
Any chance we could push it to Saturday instead? Friday's getting really tight.
I might need to take a rain check on tonight — can we do Sunday?
Question 1.Choose: 'Do you fancy ____ a film tonight?'
Question 2.Which is the WARMEST acceptance?
Question 3.Which polite refusal has all three parts (soften + reason + alternative)?
Question 4.Choose: 'Any chance we could ____ it to Sunday?'
Build the sentence → spot the natural chunks → say it aloud → reply like a real conversation.
1.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.
2.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.
3.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.
4.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.
Quick check 1.Which refusal is most likely to keep the friendship warm?
Vocabulary · Section 3
5–7 minWords & phrases to learn
Do you fancy…?
informal 'would you like to…?' (UK)
In context
"Do you fancy grabbing a coffee?"
Now try it yourself
Invite your teacher to something using 'Do you fancy…?'
Count me in
yes, include me, I'm coming
In context
"Sunday brunch? Count me in."
Now try it yourself
Accept an invitation with 'count me in'.
to take a rain check
to politely postpone — not today, but yes another time
In context
"Sorry, I'm going to have to take a rain check on tonight."
Now try it yourself
Take a rain check on your teacher's invented invitation.
to push it back / push it forward
move a plan to a later / earlier time
In context
"Could we push it back to seven?"
Now try it yourself
Politely ask to push a plan back by an hour.
I'm shattered / knackered
I'm exhausted (informal, UK)
In context
"I'd love to, but I'm completely shattered after work."
Now try it yourself
Refuse a plan using 'I'm shattered'.
a quick one
a short version of a plan (usually drinks/food)
In context
"Just a quick one after work — home by nine."
Now try it yourself
Suggest 'a quick one' for tonight.
to flake (on someone)
to cancel last-minute, often unreliably
In context
"Sorry, I'm not flaking — something genuinely came up."
Now try it yourself
Apologise for almost flaking, with a real reason.
Pencil me in
tentative yes — I'll probably make it
In context
"Pencil me in for Friday — I'll confirm tomorrow."
Now try it yourself
Give a 'pencil me in' answer to an invitation.
Pick at least three words from above and use each one in a sentence about your real life. Say each one aloud before you write.
Ask your teacher (or a partner) a question that uses one of today's words. They reply using a different word.
Rank today's words from most to least useful for you this week. Defend your top choice.
Finish: "Honestly, I'd say…" using one of today's words.
Tip: aim to reuse at least two of these words later in the Speaking and Writing tasks.
Tap an item on the left, then tap its match on the right.
Pronunciation · Section 4
3–4 minWarmth comes from intonation, not vocabulary
The exact same words sound warm or cold depending on PITCH RANGE. Acceptances need a wide, rising-falling pitch ('I'd LOVE to ↘ — count me IN ↗↘'). Polite refusals need a SOFT START on 'I'd love to', a gentle drop on 'but', and a clear, slightly rising offer at the end ('could we do the WEEK after?↗'). A flat tone makes any acceptance sound reluctant and any refusal sound rude. Listen for the bounce — that's the warmth.
- • I'd LOVE to↘ — count me IN↘
- • I'd love to↘, but I'm SHATtered tonight↘ — could we do SUNday?↗
- • Do you FANcy grabbing a COFfee?↗
- • Any chance we could PUSH it back?↗
Reading · Section 5
8–10 minThe art of the polite no
Most of us were never taught how to refuse an invitation properly in English. We either say a blunt 'no, sorry' that leaves the other person slightly stung, or we vague-out — 'maybe', 'we'll see', 'I'll try' — and end up disappointing them anyway when we don't show up. There's a better way, and it has three parts.
First, you SOFTEN — 'I'd love to, but…' or 'Honestly, I really wish I could, but…' This signals you value the invitation. Second, you GIVE A SPECIFIC REASON — not 'I'm busy', which sounds like an excuse, but something concrete: 'I've got my sister staying that weekend' or 'I'm completely shattered after a really long week'. Third, and most important, you OFFER A WAY FORWARD — 'could we do the following Friday?' or 'I'm free pretty much any evening the week after — pick one'. Without that third part, even the kindest refusal feels like a closed door. With it, you've turned a 'no' into a smaller 'yes'. It takes one extra sentence, and it's the difference between a friendship that fades and one that doesn't.
Question 1.According to the text, what is the problem with vague answers like 'maybe' or 'we'll see'?
Question 2.What does the text say you should give instead of just saying 'I'm busy'?
Question 3.Why does the author describe offering a way forward as 'most important'?
Question 4.What does the author imply about friendships where people only ever say no without offering an alternative?
Q1.A blunt 'no, sorry' is recommended by the text.
Q2.Offering a specific alternative turns a 'no' into a 'smaller yes'.
Listening · Section 6
8–10 minThree voice notes between friends sorting out a weekend
Listening audio
Tap play to listen. Replay as many times as you need.
Show transcript
Mia:Hey Sam! Right, do you fancy dinner on Friday — that new Korean place near the bridge?
Sam:Mia, hi! Okay, honestly — I'd love to, but I've got my parents staying Friday night. Any chance we could push it to Saturday?
Mia:Saturday's a bit tricky, I'm at a wedding all day. What about Sunday lunch instead? A nice slow one.
Sam:Sunday lunch sounds perfect. Count me in. What time?
Mia:One? Let's book it. Oh — Liv was going to come too but might flake, she said pencil me in. I'll chase her.
Sam:Cool. Quick one though — if it gets to Saturday night and I'm shattered, I might take a rain check on the wine bit and just do food. Is that alright?
Mia:Honestly, perfect. I'll be the same. Food, no wine, home by four. The dream.
Sam:Right — Sunday, one, Korean place, book us in for three with a maybe. Done.
Question 1.Why couldn't Mia do Saturday?
Question 2.What condition does Sam put on the Sunday plan?
Question 3.What does Mia mean when she says 'Food, no wine, home by four. The dream'?
Question 4.What does Mia's comment that Liv 'might flake' suggest about Liv?
Exam tip · Section 7
5 minSpeaking — informal interaction (Cambridge B1 Preliminary Part 2 / FCE Part 2 style)
Task
Role-play: a friend invites you to two different events this week. Accept ONE warmly and REFUSE the other using the three-part polite refusal (softener + reason + alternative).
Strategy
ACCEPT with energy — examiners (and friends) hear flat 'OK' as reluctance. Use 'I'd love to', 'Count me in', 'Sounds great'. REFUSE with the FULL three-part structure — softener + SPECIFIC reason + concrete alternative. Vague reasons ('I'm busy') lose marks; specific reasons ('My sister's visiting on Saturday') sound real. Examiners reward the SOCIAL competence as much as the language.
Example
Oh, dinner on Friday — sounds great, count me in. What time? … Wait, Saturday for the cinema? I'd love to, but I've actually promised my flatmate I'd help her move that day — could we do the following weekend instead? I'm pretty much free either Friday or Saturday — pick one and I'll lock it in.
Practice · Section 8
8–10 minFill in the blank
Question 1.Do you fancy ____ a coffee on Friday?
Question 2.I'd love to, ____ I'm already booked that night.
Question 3.Any chance we could ____ it back to seven?
Question 4.I might need to ____ a rain check tonight — I'm shattered.
Question 5.Sunday brunch? Count ____ in.
There isn't one "right" answer — write a natural version, then compare with the model.
Q1.Invite a friend to dinner using 'Do you fancy…?'
Q2.Accept warmly in one short reply.
Q3.Politely refuse with all three parts.
Q4.Politely reschedule a plan to later.
Writing · Section 9
5 minPut it in writing
Your task
Write three short messages (60–80 words total): (1) invite a friend to a specific plan, (2) reply politely refusing and rescheduling, (3) confirm the new plan warmly. Use at least ONE invitation structure, ONE three-part refusal, and ONE reschedule phrase.
Your answer
Your work saves automatically0 words
Show model answer
1) Hi! Do you fancy dinner at the new Vietnamese place on Friday? Around eight? x 2) Aw, I'd love to, but I've got my sister staying till Saturday morning — any chance we could push it to Sunday brunch instead? Genuinely free all day. xx 3) Sunday brunch — count me in. Let's say twelve at the same place? I'll book. So glad it worked out! x
Speaking · Section 10
10–15 minMake it a real conversation
Role-play with your teacher (or a partner): four-turn voice-note exchange. Turn 1: you invite. Turn 2: they refuse with the three-part structure and propose a new time. Turn 3: you accept warmly OR push back politely. Turn 4: confirm the final plan. Then swap roles.
Useful phrases
- • Do you fancy…? / Would you like to…?
- • I'd love to — count me in / sounds great
- • I'd love to, but… (+ reason + alternative)
- • Any chance we could push it to…?
- • Pencil me in / take a rain check.
Speaking reflection & notes
Your work saves automatically0 words
- ADo you fancy brunch on Sunday?
- B_______________
- AEleven at the usual place?
- B_______________
- ATwelve works. See you there.
- B_______________
Homework · Section 11
Take-homeTake it home
Record a 60-second voice note inviting a friend and offering two alternative times.
Write a three-message exchange (invite / refuse-and-reschedule / confirm) in ~80 words.
Listen to a podcast clip where friends make plans. Note 5 phrases used to soften or reschedule.
Homework notes
Your work saves automatically0 words
Recap · Section 12
2–3 minWhat you've learned
- Invite: Do you fancy + -ing / Would you like to + base / How about + -ing.
- Accept warmly: I'd love to · Count me in · Sounds great.
- Refuse with THREE parts: softener + specific reason + alternative.
- Reschedule: push it back / push it forward / take a rain check / pencil me in.
- Warmth is in the intonation, not just the words.