What is Invite in English? How to use Invite in English?

The verb Invite is a familiar term to many English learners. While it's commonly used in phrases like "to invite someone to an event", understanding the more complex structures such as Invite + to V or Invite + V-ing and knowing which prepositions to use with Invite in English to enhance your English skills.

I. Understanding Invite in English

What is Invite? Before diving into the various ways Invite is used, let's first define the verb and explore its basic functions.

1. Definition of Invite

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, Invite is a verb meaning to ask someone to come to a place or to request that they do something in a polite or friendly manner. Here are some examples:

• We're invited to Mary's party.

• I didn't get an invite to their wedding. 

2. Word family

Let's also take a look at related words and phrases that come from the word Invite in English. Understanding these variations will help broaden your vocabulary.

II. Common expressions and phrases with Invite

Several words and phrases commonly appear with Invite. Exploring these will give you a deeper understanding of how the verb is used in different contexts. Let's go over a few examples with illustrations!

III. Most common usages of Invite in English

Here are some of the most frequent ways Invite is structured in English:

1. Using Invite with Verbs

1.1. Active form

In the active form, Invite is used to ask someone to come to a place or event. The basic structure is:

S + Invite + somebody + O

For example:

• They've invited 80 guests to the wedding. 
• They've invited us round for dinner on Saturday. 

1.2. Passive form

In the passive voice, the structure changes, and Invite refers to someone being asked to come somewhere. The structure is:

S + (be) + Invited + O

Note: The verb to be will change based on the tense. For example:

• Candidates who are successful in the written test will be invited for an interview. 
• All the mums and dads are invited to the school play at the end of the year. 

2. Using Invite with Prepositions

Certain prepositions pair with Invite to create specific meanings. We'll cover which prepositions are commonly used with Invite and how they affect sentence structure.

IV. Exercises for using Invite in English

Now that you’ve learned about the different ways to use Invite, it’s time to test your understanding. Try out these exercises, which include detailed answers to help you reinforce your learning.

1. Exercises

Exercise 1: Choose the correct answer:

1. She invited me _____ her birthday party on Saturday.

   1. over

   2. for

   3. to

2. We invited our friends _______ a barbecue at our house this weekend.

   1. in

   2. for

   3. over

3. Please come in; I've invited you _______ a cup of tea.

   1. in

   2. for

   3. to

4. We should invite our neighbors _______ for dinner sometime. 

   1. over

   2. for

   3. to

Exercise 2: Conjugate the verb “Invite” in the appropriate tense:

1. Yesterday, his family (invite) me to stay with them for a few weeks.

2. She (invite) her boyfriend to the party yesterday.

3. I’m planning for my wedding, so next week I (invite) my close friends.

4.  Last year, more than 1000 workers (invite) to the Year-End party.

5. Candidates (invite) for interviews by the company.

2. Answer

PREP has provided a thorough and clear guide on the meaning and usage of Invite in English. After reading this article, you should be able to confidently answer questions like, "Does Invite go with to V or V-ing?" Keep practicing, and good luck on your English learning journey!