Unit 19 Inviting

How about..? a question form that is often used to make an invitation

GRAMMAR NOTE: This idiom is usually followed by a gerund(verb+-ing)or a noun.

▪ Hi, Jane, I’m glad to see you. How about going to the dance with me tonight?

▪ I have an idea. How about lunch and a movie tomorrow afternoon?

Be free to be available for some occasion

▪ Are you free Saturday night to go to the museum reception?

▪ I called Tom to see if he was free to attend the meeting with me.

Ask out to invite on a date

GRAMMAR NOTE: This idiom is separable.

▪ Poor Gary had to ask out several women before one of them accepted his invitation to the charity ball.

▪ Have you asked jill out on a date yet?

Have over to invite someont to visit one’s home

GRAMMAR NOTE: This idiom is separable.

▪ Christina had over her entire family for Christmas dinner.

▪ I’d like to have you over for lunch some day when you’re free.

Go along(with) to accompany to a social activity.

Also: come along(with), tag along(with)

▪ Wilma went along with her friends to the shopping center even though she really didn’t want to.

▪ Would you like to come along with us to Disneyland?

▪ Bob let his younger brothers tag along to the park because they asked nicely.

Take someone up on to accept an invitation or other offer

Also: You’re on

GRAMMAR NOTE: This idiom is separable.

▪ I wouldn’t turn down anyone who offered me a chance at a millon-dollar reward.

▪ Mr.Greer has asked his neighbor out many times, but she continues to turn him down.

Take a raincheck to postpone an invitation until a later time

USAGE NOTE: Don’t confuse this idiom with the similar one in Unit 15, where it is used for purchasing unavailable sale items at a later date.

▪ I’m too busy to accept your kind invitation this time, but I’ll take a raincheck, OK?

▪ Instead of turning his invitation down right away, she took a raincheck.