Objective: To learn how to make a complaint in English.
Think about it!
Have you ever had to complain about something? What was it? How did it go? What s the best way to deal with a
complaint?
TRACK 8: ENGLISHMAN &
ENGLISHWOMAN
THANK YOU
FOR NOT
COMPLAINING!
PRACTICAL ENGLISH:
COMPLAINING
Complaining in a shop, etc.
I d like to make a complaint.
I d like to speak to the manager, please.
I ve been waiting here for twenty
minutes and no one s attended to me.
I d like to put in a formal complaint.
I d like to see the complaints book,
please.
Introducing a problem
Actually, I didn t want this one, I wanted...
You must have understood me when I
Dialogue
said...
I m sorry to trouble you, but& Patricia is staying at a luxury hotel in New York. But she s having
Excuse me but there seems to be a some problems. So she decides to make a complaint at the front
problem with& desk. [Listen and complete with the verbs from below.]
I think there s been a misunderstanding...
think ordered prefer stole want booked found used
I don t think I explained myself very well.
What I meant to say was...
I m afraid you didn t understand what I Desk clerk: Hello madam. How can I help you?
was trying to say. Patricia: [annoyed] I d like to speak to the manager, please. I want to make a
What I was trying to say was that... complaint.
I wonder if you could help me... Desk clerk: Oh, I m sorry but the manager is out at the moment. Can I help?
Do you think you could help me with this, Patricia: Let s see& I (1) a room with a double bed, but the room
please? you gave me has a single bed.
I m sorry to have to say this, but& . Desk clerk: Oh, well, that s easy to sort out. I can put you into room 459, which has
a double bed. Was that all?
Accepting a complaint
Patricia: No, not even close. I (2) room service for lunch today. And
I m sorry about that. when it came, I (3) a hair in my soup.
I can t tell you how sorry we are. Desk clerk: Oh dear. I ll speak to the chef straight away. Erm& to make it up to you,
I ll deal with it immediately. here s a voucher for a free lunch in the hotel s fine-dining restaurant.
Leave it with me. Patricia: That s the least you could do. Next problem. I can t find my iPad. It
I ll see what I can do. was in the room this morning, and now it s gone. I think the maid (4)
it.
Delaying a complaint
Desk clerk: Oh dear. I suggest you leave that with me and I ll speak to housekeeping.
I suggest you leave it with us and we ll But I doubt one of our maids would have stolen it. Have you got the
see what we can do. serial number? If you have, we can get a police report. You ll need it in
I m afraid the manager isn t in at the order to claim the money back from your insurance company.
moment. Could you call later? Patricia: Erm, yes, I (5) it s in my bag... Oh, look, isn t that strange.
I m afraid we can t help you at the My iPad is in my bag.
moment. Could you leave your contact Desk clerk: What a relief! Is there anything else, madam?
phone number and we ll get back to you Patricia: One last thing. And I m afraid this is a very serious complaint.
as soon as we can. Desk clerk: OK&
Patricia: I m getting a bit fed up of this dreadful weather. It s been raining
Rejecting a complaint
the whole time I ve been here! I mean, this wasn t mentioned in the
Well, I m afraid there s nothing we can brochure or on the website. And the photos you (6)
do about it. showed sunny days, not grey, rainy ones like today. I feel a bit cheated.
I m sorry but that s really not our Desk clerk: Well, I m afraid there isn t much we can do about the weather. But we
responsibility. do have a lovely selection of umbrellas in the gift shop.
I m sorry but that s not really part of my Patricia: I don t (7) an umbrella! I want sunshine! I m sorry to have
responsibility. to say this, but this is the worst hotel I ve ever stayed in.
If you d read the contract carefully, you d Desk clerk: Oh, I am sorry to hear that. Perhaps
GLOSSARY
have seen that... madam would (8) the
a voucher n
Well, I m afraid there isn t much we can hotel opposite? I hear they have
a ticket or piece of paper that can be used
instead of money to pay for something
do about that. excellent weather.
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