Disputing a bill: polite requests and problem-solving

Summary

This 90-minute ESL lesson for B2 learners explores Disputing a bill: polite requests and problem-solving through a real article. Across 10 interactive exercises, you'll develop reading comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, practical communication, speaking skills — all built around authentic English content.

What you'll practise:

• 5 key vocabulary items with definitions and usage notes
• Grammar focus: Polite requests and indirect questions with examples and practice
• Real-world phrases for questioning a charge on your bill
• Gap-fill and cloze exercises to test vocabulary in context
• Matching exercise to connect terms with their meanings
• Error correction to sharpen grammar awareness

Lesson activities (10 exercises)

Each exercise builds on the previous one. Work through them in order for the best learning experience.

1. Warm-up — Discussion questions to activate what you already know about the topic.
2. Comprehension — Answer questions to check your understanding of the main ideas and supporting details.
3. Vocabulary — Learn key words and expressions from the article, with definitions and usage notes.
4. Fill the gaps — Complete sentences with the correct vocabulary. Drag and drop or type your answers.
5. Grammar — Study Polite requests and indirect questions — explanation, examples, and key rules.
6. Error correction — Find and fix the mistake in each sentence — a great grammar workout.
7. Practical English — Learn phrases for questioning a charge on your bill — ready to use in real conversations.
8. Matching — Connect words, phrases, or concepts to their correct counterparts.
9. Discussion — Reflect on the topic and share your opinions using the language you've learned.

Vocabulary

This lesson introduces 5 key terms drawn directly from the article:

• Look into something — to investigate or examine the facts about a problem or situation.
• Get to the bottom of something — to discover the real cause of a problem or the truth about a situation.
• An itemised bill — a detailed bill that lists every single product or service you have paid for individually.
• Rectify an error — to correct something that is wrong; to fix a mistake.
• Escalate an issue — to take a problem to a higher level of authority or a more senior person to get it solved.

Grammar

This lesson focuses on Polite requests and indirect questions.

When dealing with customer service, especially for sensitive issues like billing errors, using polite and indirect language is essential. Instead of asking direct questions (e.g., 'Why is my bill wrong?'), we use introductory phrases to sound less confrontational and more professional.

Examples from the lesson:

• Could you please tell me why this month's charge is considerably higher than usual? — Notice the word order after 'why' is like a statement (subject + verb: 'this month's charge is...'), not a question ('why is this month's charge...?').
• I was wondering if you could provide a detailed breakdown of the fees. — This is a very polite and common way to make a request. We use 'if' or 'whether' to introduce what would have been a yes/no question.
• I would be grateful if you could review the account for any discrepancies. — Using conditional phrases like 'I would be grateful if...' softens the request, making it sound more like a suggestion than a demand.

Key rules:

• Start with a polite introductory phrase (e.g., 'Could you explain...', 'I'd like to know...', 'I was wondering if...').
• After the introductory phrase, use statement word order (subject + verb), not question word order.
• A common mistake is using a question mark with phrases like 'I was wondering...'. These are statements, so they end with a full stop.

Practical English

Questioning a charge on your bill

When you find a mistake on a bill, you need to contact the company. These phrases will help you explain the problem, ask for a solution, and end the conversation clearly and politely.

Phrases you'll learn:

• "I'm calling about a query I have with my latest bill." — A polite and direct way to state your reason for calling.
• "My bill is quite a bit higher than I was expecting." — Explains the problem in a non-confrontational way.
• "Could you walk me through the charges, please?" — A polite request for a detailed explanation of the bill.
• "That doesn't sound right to me." — A firm but polite way to express disagreement or doubt about an explanation you've been given.
• "I'd appreciate it if this could be corrected as soon as possible." — A formal and assertive way to request a quick resolution.