Which statement best describes an invitation to treat?

• A. A binding offer that must be accepted
• B. A contract that cannot be revoked
• C. An offer with a specified time limit
• D. An invitation to treat is only inviting a person to make an offer that does not have to be accepted

Answer: (D)

An invitation to treat is not an offer; it signals a willingness to negotiate and invites others to make an offer. It does not bind the inviter to accept, and no contract arises until someone makes an offer and it is accepted. A shop display or a real estate listing is a classic example: it invites buyers to submit offers, and the seller can accept, reject, or counter. That’s why the best description is that it’s inviting a person to make an offer that does not have to be accepted. The other statements describe binding offers, revocability, or time limits on offers, which don’t capture the nature of an invitation to treat.