Making complaints politely

Summary

This 90-minute ESL lesson for B2 learners explores Making complaints politely through a real article. Across 10 interactive exercises, you'll develop 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: The passive voice for describing problems with examples and practice
• Real-world phrases for complaining about a product over the phone
• Gap-fill and cloze exercises to test vocabulary in context
• Matching exercise to connect terms with their meanings
• Error correction to sharpen grammar awareness
• A reading passage to practise newly learned language

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. Vocabulary — Learn key words and expressions from the article, with definitions and usage notes.
3. Matching — Connect words, phrases, or concepts to their correct counterparts.
4. Practical English — Learn phrases for complaining about a product over the phone — ready to use in real conversations.
5. Fill the gaps — Complete sentences with the correct vocabulary. Drag and drop or type your answers.
6. Grammar — Study The passive voice for describing problems — explanation, examples, and key rules.
7. Error correction — Find and fix the mistake in each sentence — a great grammar workout.
8. Reading — Read a short passage on the topic and answer comprehension questions.
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:

• Not up to scratch — not good enough or not meeting the expected standard.
• To be fobbed off — to be given an excuse or unsatisfactory answer to stop you from complaining or asking for something.
• To escalate a complaint — to take a complaint to a more senior person or a higher authority.
• The last straw — the final problem in a series of problems that makes a situation unbearable and causes you to take action.
• To seek redress — to ask for a way to correct or improve a bad situation, often through official channels.

Grammar

This lesson focuses on The passive voice for describing problems.

When making a complaint, using the passive voice helps you sound more formal and less accusatory. It allows you to focus on the problem or the action, rather than on the person who made the mistake, which is a key part of complaining politely.

Examples from the lesson:

• I was sent the wrong item, and I'd like to exchange it. — Here, the focus is on the fact that the wrong item was sent, not on who sent it. This is more polite than saying 'You sent me the wrong item'.
• I was told that the repair would be completed by Friday. — This structure is perfect for reporting information you received from a company or its staff without being confrontational.
• My laptop hasn't been fixed properly; the same issue is still occurring. — The passive can be used in different tenses. The present perfect passive (hasn't been fixed) is useful for talking about an action that should have happened but didn't.

Key rules:

• Form the passive voice with the subject + the correct form of the verb 'to be' + the past participle.
• Use the passive to describe a problem without directly blaming the listener.
• Common mistake: Avoid adding 'by you' (e.g., 'I was overcharged by you'), as this defeats the purpose of being indirect and polite.

Practical English

Complaining about a product over the phone

When a product you've bought is faulty or a service is not up to standard, you often need to call the company. These phrases will help you explain the problem and get the solution you want, all while staying calm and polite.

Phrases you'll learn:

• "''Hi, I'm calling about an issue with a recent order.''" — a clear and direct way to state your reason for calling.
• "''Unfortunately, it's not working as it should.''" — a calm and factual way to describe the problem.
• "''To be honest, I'm a bit disappointed with the quality.''" — a way to express dissatisfaction firmly but politely.
• "''I was hoping you could arrange for a replacement.''" — a polite way to request your preferred solution.
• "''I appreciate the offer, but that doesn't quite solve the problem for me.''" — a phrase for politely rejecting an unsatisfactory solution.