Making a complaint: using the simple past tense

Summary

This 90-minute ESL lesson for A2 learners explores Making a complaint: using the simple past tense 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: Simple past tense with examples and practice
• Real-world phrases for returning an item to a shop
• 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 Simple past tense — 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 returning an item to a shop — 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:

• take something back — to return an item to the shop where you bought it.
• not work properly — when a product has a problem and doesn't do what it should do.
• proof of purchase — a document that shows you bought something, like a receipt.
• out of stock — when a shop does not have a product available to buy.
• ask for a manager — to request to speak to the person in charge.

Grammar

This lesson focuses on Simple past tense.

We use the simple past tense to talk about actions that finished at a specific time in the past. When you make a complaint, you need to explain what happened. For example, you can say when you bought an item and when it stopped working.

Examples from the lesson:

• I bought this kettle last week, but it stopped working yesterday. — Use the simple past for finished actions with a specific time in the past (last week, yesterday).
• The shirt shrank after I washed it. — Many common verbs are irregular in the past tense, like 'shrink' -> 'shrank'.
• I did not receive the correct size. — For negative sentences, use 'did not' (or 'didn't') + the base form of the verb (receive).

Key rules:

• For regular verbs, add '-ed' to the end (e.g., 'work' -> 'worked').
• For questions, use 'Did' + subject + base verb (e.g., 'Did you keep the receipt?').
• Remember to use past time expressions like 'yesterday', 'last week', or 'two days ago'.

Practical English

Returning an item to a shop

When you buy something and it doesn't work, you need to take it back. Use these phrases to explain the problem politely and say what you want.

Phrases you'll learn:

• "Excuse me, I'd like to return this." — A polite way to start the conversation.
• "There's something wrong with it." — A simple way to explain that the item is faulty.
• "Could I get a refund, please?" — How to ask for your money back.
• "I'd like to exchange it for another one, please." — How to ask for a new, working item.
• "Yes, I have the receipt right here." — What to say when they ask for proof of purchase.