If you have received help or hospitality add your thanks when you say goodbye. e.g. Goodbye and thank you very much for all your help. When thanking people for hospitality, it is usual to combine a phrase of thanks with a positive comment to show your appreciation.
Phrase of Thanks
Positive Comment
Reply
formal/neutral
Thank you very much. I really appreciate your hospitality.
It's been a very pleasant weekend
. I'm glad you enjoyed it/ you were able to come.
It was very kind of you to invite me.
You really have a lovely house.
We've really enjoyed having you.
Thank you very much for the meal.
It's an excellent restaurant
.
Thank you very much for organizing this evening.
The meal was delicious.
I hope you'll come and stay again next time you're here.
Thank you very much for everything.
I have enjoyed myself.
Thank you for getting me a ticket for the play.
It was a n excellent choice.
Thank you very much for having me.
It's been a very enjoyable evening.
Informal
Thanks for asking me out. Thanks for the meal. Thanks, Tom.
It was great fun.
It was very good.
I enjoyed that.
e.g. A: Thank you for a most enjoyable evening. B: I'm glad you were able to come.
Practice 4.2.
Ex.4.4.Read the situations below and then choose one of the phrases on the right to thank your host/hostess.
Situation
Phrase of Thanks
1. A friend has brought you coffee.
a. Thank you for all your hospitality. I really have appreciated it.
2. You have been taken to the theatre to see a comedy.
b. Thank you for getting me a ticket.
3. You have just spent two months in the States. The people you have been staying at have been very friendly and invited you out a lot.
c. Thank you very much for the meal.
4. While in London some friends took you to see the Wimbledon final.
d. It was most kind of you to invite me over.
5. While on a business trip your counterpart invited you to spend a day at his home.
e. Thanks, David.
6. An American colleague you have been visiting took you out for dinner.
f. It was very nice of you to invite me. I really enjoyed the play.
Now go back to the situations above and decide how you would complete the thanks by adding an appropriate comment from the list below.
Comment 1. It's been a useful two months. 2. I needed that. 3. It was very funny. 4. It was a very exciting match. 5. I've enjoyed myself a lot. 6. It was delicious.
Ex.4.5.Following the conversation notes, decide how to thank your host in the following situations. Situation 1: You have been invited to the theatre. a. Thank your host (you don't know this person well.) b. Tell him you enjoyed the play. c. Compliment him on the choice.
Situation 2: You are staying with some English friends for a weekend. You met then on holiday last year. a. Thank them for inviting you. b. Compliment them on the place. c. Tell them how much you enjoyed the weekend.
Situation 3: You have been invited for a meal in a very good restaurant. a. Compliment the host on the meal. b. Thank him for inviting you (Remember it's a first contact). c. Tell him how much you like the restaurant.
