Invitation and Reply Class 12: CBSE 2026-27

Invitations and Replies Class 12 have been included in the CBSE curriculum to help students with their overall growth in academic life. Learning how to draft an invitation and what and how to reply when someone receives an invitation is essential if thinking about the future.

For example, a student receives an invitation to participate in the upcoming Olympiad exam and he/she has to RSVP as soon as possible, but replying here would require a certain format. 

The same goes when any student wants to invite his/her friends for a birthday bash, the invitation would follow a certain format too. This writing piece will cover all the important concepts from the meaning to the examples and practice questions.

Students can download this PDF for several Invitation and reply samples and practice questions.

<cta2> Download <cta2>

What is An Invitation and Reply? 

An invitation is a formal or informal message requesting someone's presence at an event or occasion - such as a wedding, birthday, school function, housewarming, inauguration, or farewell party.

Invitations can be sent in the form of a printed card, a letter, or even a personal note, depending on the nature of the event. A well-written invitation clearly conveys who is inviting, what the event is, and when and where it will take place.

CBSE Marking Scheme for Invitation and Reply for Class 12: 2026-27

As per the CBSE 2026-27 question paper design, Invitation and Reply carries:

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Points to Remember: 

• Word limit: Up to 50 words 
• Task Type: Short writing task (Section B)
• Choice: One out of two given questions to answered
• Section B - Creative Writing Skills (18 Marks total) 

Invitation and Reply Format Class 12: CBSE 2026-27

As per the official CBSE 2026-27 syllabus, Invitation and Reply writing is a Short Writing Task under Section B – Creative Writing Skills.

Every invitation or reply must include:

For Invitations:

1. Name of the host / inviting authority
2. Name of the invitee (for formal)
3. Nature of the event/occasion
4. Date, day, and time
5. Venue
6. Special instructions (dress code, RSVP, etc.)
7. Contact details (at the bottom-left corner)
8. Enclosed in a rectangular box

For Replies:

1. Acknowledgement of the invitation
2. Clear acceptance or polite refusal
3. Genuine reason (if declining)
4. Warm closing
5. Sender's name and contact 

Structure of an Invitation

Types of Invitations

Invitations are of two types:

I. Formal Invitations

Used for official or large-scale events such as weddings, school functions, inaugurations, and corporate gatherings. Formal invitations are:

• Written in third person
• Use formal, courteous language
• Follow simple present tense
• Printed in card format (most common) or letter format
• Do not use contractions or abbreviations
• Must be enclosed in a box

Structure of a Formal Invitation 

1. Card Format

Refer to the image below for the formal invitation card format class 12

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2. Letter Format

Refer to the image below for the formal invitation letter format class 12

Techniques to Follow While Writing a Formal Invitation

Formal invitations demand a refined tone and a fixed structure. Follow these CBSE-approved techniques to score full marks in your Class 12 English exam. 

• Keep the language formal and courteous.
• Give the date, venue, and time for the event.
• Always write in the third person.
• Use the simple present tense.
• Avoid using abbreviations.
• Enclose the invitation in a box.
• Contact details for the event must be given at the end of the invitation, on the left side.
• From the exam’s POV, the content must not exceed 50 words.

Examples of Formal Invitation

Your school, Bal Vidya Mandir, is planning to organize the Annual Sports Day on the school premises. Draft a formal invitation in not more than 50 words for the event giving all the essential details.

II. Informal Invitations

Used for personal or friendly gatherings - birthdays, family parties, get-togethers, anniversaries. Informal invitations are:

• Written in first person (friendly tone)
• Use warm, personal language
• Usually take the form of a short letter or note
• Allow flexibility in structure

Structure of an Informal Invitation 

Techniques to Follow While Writing an Informal Invitation

Informal invitations are warmer and more personal, but they still follow a clear structure. Use these simple techniques to make your invitation sound genuine and exam-ready.

• Keep the language friendly but elegant.
• Give the date, venue, and time for the event.
• Always write in the third person.
• Contact details for the event must be given at the end of the invitation, on the left side.
• Write the content that showcases your enthusiasm.

Examples of Informal Invitation

You are Manoj Jha. On behalf of your parents, draft an informal invitation to be sent to your friends and relatives on the occasion of your brother’s sixteenth birthday.

Draft an invitation in 50 words to be sent to your cousin to invite him to the bachelor’s party that you will be hosting three nights before your wedding.

Replies

The response from the receiver to either accept or decline the invitation is labeled as a reply. In other words. A reply is a personal notice sent from the invitee to the individuals who have invited the said person for an event or occasion. A reply either confirms or declines the invitation sent by the host of the event. The tone of the reply is usually respectful, conventional, and polite.

Types of Reply

Responding to invitations are of two types:

I. Formal Reply

This type of reply can be written in two forms, i.e., a card or a letter note. However, a card format is usually common among students. Formal replies are used to accept or deny invitations sent by schools, organizations, trusts, or sometimes even by family.

Structure

The reply can be of acceptance or declination. Here are the structures of both.

1. Acceptance

2. Declination

Techniques to Follow While Writing a Formal Reply

• Keep the language formal in both the form of formal invitation replies, i.e., cards or letters.
• In case of accepting the invitation, ensure the presence.
• Give the reason for declining the invitation to the event.
• Always write in the third person.

Examples of Formal Reply

Your friend, PV. Sathish has invited you to attend the wedding of his sister, Jaya. You find that you have an important paper for the pre-board examination on the wedding day. Thus, you cannot attend the event. Write in about 50 words a formal reply to the invitation expressing your regret. You are Puneet/Puneeta Vij, M-114, Fort Road, Chennai.

You are Mr. Ajay Gupta of 7 Park Avenue, Delhi. Draft a reply accepting an invitation to attend a housewarming party hosted by your colleague.

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II. Informal Reply

This type of reply is commonly written in a note or letter. Informal replies are used to accept or deny invitations sent mostly by near and dear ones like friends and family.

Structure

The reply can be one of acceptance or declination. Here are the structures of both.

1. Acceptance

2. Declination

Techniques to Follow While Writing an Informal Reply

• Keep the language friendly and cordial.
• In case of accepting the invitation, ensure your presence.
• Give the reason for declining the invitation to the event.
• Always write in the third person.

Examples of Informal Reply

You are Navita/Navtej. You have been invited to attend the wedding of your friend’s sister during summer vacation. Respond to the invitation, regretting your inability to attend it.

You are Aditya/Aditi. You have been invited to attend the wedding of your friend’s brother during Diwali. Respond to the invitation, regretting your inability to attend it in not more than 50 words.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Invitation and Reply

Even confident students lose marks due to small errors. Avoid these:

1. Exceeding the 50-word limit – Strictly stay within the limit.
2. Using first person in formal invitations – Formal invites must be in third person (e.g., "requests the pleasure of your company").
3. Using abbreviations or contractions – Write "Mr." not "mister," but avoid "don't," "won't," etc., in formal writing.
4. Forgetting to mention date, time, or venue – These are mandatory content details.
5. Skipping RSVP or contact details – Loses format marks.
6. Not enclosing formal invitations in a box – A format-mark mistake.
7. Giving no reason when declining – Formal declinations must state a genuine reason.
8. Writing invitations as letters – Formal invites are usually in card format, not letter format (unless specified).
9. Mixing formal and informal tones – Keep the tone consistent throughout.
10. Grammar and spelling errors – Class 12 has a dedicated 1 mark for grammar and spelling accuracy - don't ignore this!

Questions to Practice for Invitation and Reply Class 12 

Here are some more examples to practice invitation and reply from: 

1. You are Nainai/Nachaobi Kom, Headboy/Headgirl of Loktak High School, Manipur. Your school wishes to honour an old student of your school, the famous boxer Mary Kom for all her numerous achievements by inviting her to the school's Annual Day as the Chief Guest. Write a formal invite in at most 50 words to be sent to Mary Kom requesting her presence on the occasion.

To

Miss Mary Kom,

International Boxer,

India.

From

Nachaobi Kom,

Head Girl,

Loktak High School,

Manipur,

India 121222.

Date: 3rd June 2019

Sub: A Warm Invitation.

Dear Ma’am,

On behalf of Loktak High School, I extend my greetings. We congratulate you and are extremely proud of your ongoing success in boxing. 

We would be honored to have the chance to honor you and your warm presence as the Chief Guest for our school's Annual Day, which will be on June 20, 2019, at 3:00 PM.

Please give us a chance to meet you in person so that we can personally extend the invitation.

Thank you, Ma’am.

Yours Sincerely,

Nachaobi Kom.

2. You are Shahneela/Sameer Malik living at No. 4, Zakir Bagh, Meerut. You and your friends decide to host a dinner to honor the teachers who have taught you in Class XII. Draft a formal invitation in not more than 50 words to all your teachers to a grand dinner at your residence.

Invitation to teachers

Respected Teachers,

You are all cordially invited to the dinner party by the class of 2012 as a sign of appreciation and honor for the significant sacrifice you have made to help us get to this point. We kindly ask that you arrive at No. 4 Zakir Bagh in Meerut at 6:00 p.m. to grace the evening. Your presence shall eagerly await.

Sameer Malik,

XII B.

3. You have received an invitation to preside over the annual function of Goodwill Public School, Noida. But due to some urgent prior engagement, you have to decline the invitation. Send a formal letter of reply. You are M. Mohan, Secretary, M.D.B. International School, Delhi.

Invitation Letter

To

Goodwill public school

Noida

Sir,

Being invited to your school for your annual day of service as president is an honor. Your school has outstanding honor track academic, extracurricular, and athletic activities. So many of this school's graduates are succeeding in their careers. But I regret to inform you that due to the passing of my father, I was unable to attend the school's annual day event. Although it's an honor to be invited, I was unable to go.

When I received the chief guest invitation, I felt obligated.

Thank you

M. Mohan

Secretary, M.D.B International School,

Delhi

4. You are a student of Chandrayan Public School, Mirzapur. The school is holding its Annual Function on September 8th, 2022. The Education Minister of State Mr. Chetak Singh has consented to be the Chief Guest. Design an invitation card to be sent to parents and other invitees. Mention necessary details of date, time & venue. Do not exceed 50 words.

To,

Dear Parents,

24 August 2022,

Sub: Letter of Invitation for Annual Day Celebration

Respected (Sir/Madam),

We are overjoyed to be able to extend this invitation to you for our institution's annual day celebration. The aforementioned event will occur on August 28, 2022. Morning 10 will be the time, and our institution's grounds will be the location.

To showcase their skills and talents, our kind students will participate in various events and extracurricular activities, such as dance, skits, and exhibitions. We will open our event by extending a warm welcome to Mr. Chetak Singh, the minister of education, and listening to his remarks.

Our members will also help to inspire the next generation. At this event, we will also serve food and drinks to our visitors and members.

We sincerely hope you'll allow us the honor of using your glorious presence to uplift our students.

Thanking you,

Regards,

Kumud Patel,

Vice Principal,

Chandrayan Public School Mirzapur

5. You are Rajneesh/Rajee Mehta, an eminent educationist. You have been invited to Nav Nirman School, Sucheta Vihar, Kolkata to attend and speak at a workshop on the topic "The Importance of Time Management' on June 5, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. Draft a letter of acceptance to the Cultural In-Charge, Piyush, in about 50 words.

1st June 2022

27, xxx colony

mumbai maharashtra

Respected Sir,

Myself Mehta, Rajee I received a letter from you inviting me to your school, first of all, thank you. I'm honored to have been invited there. I'll undoubtedly visit and deliver a speech on time management. Sir, it would be a pleasure to meet you.

Thanking you

Yours Obediently Colleague

Rajee Mehta

6. You are Michelle/Michael D'Souza, an eminent educationist. Nav Vihar School, Bengaluru has completed 25 years of commendable service to society. You have received an invitation from the Principal of the school, Nandini Tyagi to attend its Silver Jubilee Celebrations on Sunday, 22nd May 2022, at 10:00 a.m. Draft a letter of acceptance in about 50 words, accepting the invitation.

Haryana Civil Medical Doctor Association

2345 sector 15

Panchkula

Date: 20/08/2019

Rajkumar

Karnal

Raj Kumar,

I am writing you this letter on behalf of the Haryana Medical Doctors Association. We are hosting a seminar on aids for the association of the members on September 27, 2019. We ask that you join us on this occasion and give a 50-minute speech about recent developments regarding new aids. We have seen you on television several times, and each time, we have found your interviews to be very informative for us.

We are all incredibly eager to meet you at the semi. Two additional members who are successful people were also invited.

We are eager to spend the day with you and are awaiting your response. If you can and if it is possible for you, kindly respond to us by the specified date.

Thank you

Yours sincerely

FAQs

Q1. What is invitation and reply writing in Class 12 English? 

Ans. Invitation and reply writing is a short creative writing task where students draft formal or informal invitations for events and polite replies to accept or decline those invitations, all within a 50-word limit. 

Q2. What is the difference between a formal and informal invitation? 

Ans. Formal invitations are written in third person in a card format for official events (weddings, school functions). Informal invitations are personal, first-person notes to friends or family for casual gatherings. 

Q3. Is the invitation to be written inside a box? 

Ans. Yes, formal invitations in card format must be enclosed in a rectangular box to secure format marks. Letter-style invitations and informal ones don't require a box.

Q4. What are the most common topics for Class 12 Invitation and Reply? 

Ans. Common topics include weddings, school annual functions, Sports Day, Farewell parties, Silver Jubilee celebrations, birthdays, housewarming, book launches, workshops, and Chief Guest invitations.

Q5. Should a reply be written in third person or first person? 

Ans. Formal replies are always written in third person (e.g., "Mr. Sharma thanks the Principal..."). Informal replies are written in first person (e.g., "I'd love to meet you!").