臨時有事未能赴約，一定要把事情解釋清楚并真誠的道歉，最好能有彌補(bǔ)(to make up)，就像這封信里所說的那樣，邀請對方周末再碰頭(I would like to ask you out this weekend)注意英文句子you must have been disappointed中情態(tài)動詞的用法：情態(tài)動詞+完成時態(tài)，表示過去行為。這句話應(yīng)該理解為“你當(dāng)時一定感到很失望”。

　　例2

　　Directions: You have received a invitation from your friend, but you have already had some guests in your house. Please express the reason you can’t go clearly in about 100 words.

　　6. April

　　Dear Lucy,

　　I do apologize for having to send this letter about Saturday night.

　　When I accepted your invitation, I simply forgot that Saturday was a holiday and that my own guests were not leaving until Sunday morning. It is difficult for me to make a choice. Though I also wonder to meet you very much. I could not very well go out by myself and leave the guests at my home.

　　I hope you know how sorry I am not to be with you this Saturday. Should I make a visit to you in my other spare time?

　　Thank you very much.

　　×××

　　* 自己家里有客人，自然不方便再接受別人邀請去做客所以可以明正言順的表示拒絕或可另約時間。英文要強(qiáng)調(diào)謂語動詞，可以加上助動詞，例如：

　　I do apologize for being late.

　　He did come yesterday.

　　例3

　　Directions: You are already have a date with your friend but suddenly have another thing to do and you have to tell your friend that you can’t go. Express your reason clearly in about 100 words.

　　Monday 9:00 a.m

　　Dear Jane,

　　I am sorry to tell you that I won’t be able to come this afternoon because I have to go to the airport at 2:00 p. m. to meet an overseas visitor from Australia. I really have kept our date in my mind all these days, however, I received my boss’ e-mail this morning, he asked me to go to the airport to meet one of his friends from abroad, it’s suddenly and urgent and I must go. Please forgive me. Would you please ring me up to make another time?

　　Many thanks.

　　×××

　　* 因有事而不能赴約，只能另約時間(to make或to fix another time)。寫信人Bluce很可能是英國人，因為他把“打電話”說成to ring somebody up，美國人通常說to call somebody。英國人打電話還可以說 to give somebody a ring，不要錯以為別人要送你個戒指。與別人已經(jīng)定好的約會卻臨時不能赴約時，應(yīng)說明原因并誠懇地道歉，以期獲得別人的諒解。

　　4)借物(Borrowing)

　　例

　　Directions: You are going to write a note for borrowing sth. Please describe this information clearly.

　　1) the thing you ask

　　2) detailed what you are going to do with it.

　　3) how long will you take it.

　　Tuesday

　　Dear Xiao Wang:

　　I wonder if I could borrow your electronic dictionary for a few days. Now I am translating some important articles. There are many new words which I have to look up the dictionary usually. I just have a paper dictionary but of course it’s not as convenient as the electronic one, which has a bad effect upon my velocity of my translating. So I think your electronic dictionary is more suitable for me to complete my work. I promise that I must be very careful of your dictionary and make no damage done on it. Thank you very much!

　　Yours ever

　　×××

　　*字典是我們?nèi)粘Ｉ钪谐Ｓ玫膶W(xué)習(xí)工具，但是千萬不能直接從字面上認(rèn)為“查字典”就是“check the dictionary”，而應(yīng)該用“look up”這個固定短語來表達(dá)。

　　“影響……”有一個很地道的短語。“have effect upon/on”,后面接受影響的人或物，如果是積極影響就在have和effect之間加a good ，反之，就加“a bad”其他的形容詞例如great， remarkable也可以用來修飾effect，此詞在這里是名詞。

　　5)回復(fù)友人問侯(Reply for Regards)

　　例

　　Directions: You have just had an operation, and received a note of regards from your friend Jenny. Now please write a reply to her to tell her your current situation.

　　You should write about 100 words.

　　Jan.8th.

　　Dear Jenny,

　　Thanks for your letter of sympathy I received the day before yesterday. The operation on my leg was a wonderful success. You know I had been suffering a lot from my leg since my childhood. The operation removed the cause of trouble. It is quite worth having the operation. I am daily recovering from my illness. I’m confident I will soon be in the office again after proper treatment. Thank you for kind wishes.

　　My best wishes to all your family

　　×××

　　*這是對好友問侯便條的回復(fù)。形式簡單，內(nèi)容明了。過去完成進(jìn)行時“I had been suffering…my childhood”表示動作從過去一直持續(xù)到現(xiàn)在。

　　例2

　　Directions: Your father is seriously ill, and you want to go back home. Write a note to the secretary and it should include.

　　1) the cause for leaving;

　　2) the days: from 16th to 21 st;

　　3) Catch on the lesson after returning school.

　　July 5th

　　Dear Miss Huang,

　　My sister called me last night, and she said that my father is dangerously ill. I beg to apply for seven days’ leave of absence from 16th to 21st instant, in order that I can see my beloved father.

　　I should be much obliged if you would grant me my application. As regards the lessons to be missed during my absence, I will do my best to make up for them as soon as I get back from home.

　　Sincerely yours,

　　×××

　　*本格式采用The Semi-indented Form(半縮進(jìn)式)，以前比較流行，現(xiàn)在人們也繼續(xù)采用。I should be much obliged if you would...是一種客套語，表示“結(jié)果……，我當(dāng)不勝感激。”“補(bǔ)課”的英文是to make up for the lessons。 as soon as意思是盡快。