A letter of complaint

Objective & content

This writing sheet teaches pupils to write a formal letter of complaint (Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing to complain about..., Your website said that..., However,..., I was kept waiting..., I used to..., If..., I would..., I would be grateful if you could..., I attach..., I look forward to hearing from you, Yours faithfully). Pupils read Daniel's letter to an online sports shop, take its phrases and write their own. By the end, they can write a letter of 150 to 180 words with the facts, the problem, the passive, reported speech and a polite request.

Pedagogical guide

Page 1 has Daniel's letter, with a photo of running shoes. Daniel bought running shoes on the shop's website on 3rd October; the website said they were waterproof and designed for long runs. After two weeks the left shoe let in water, and last Saturday the sole came off during a five-kilometre run. On the phone he was kept waiting for forty minutes, and was told that nothing could be done because he had already worn the shoes. He used to buy all his sports clothes there; if a friend asked him now, he would not recommend the shop. He asks for new shoes or a full refund. The shop is made up. Pupils answer six questions with three options each, then read the useful phrases, set out in the order of the letter (start, the facts, the problem, what happened next, before and if, what you want and the end). Page 2 starts with four pairs of phrases where pupils tick the formal one. Then pupils complain about a problem from a card (a cancelled concert, a phone case that didn't protect the phone, a late cold pizza, a summer camp that wasn't like its brochure, each with three facts) or a real one, and tick the checklist. The answer key gives a model letter about the summer camp.

Suggested procedure

1. (5 min) Ask "Have you ever bought something that broke? What did you do?"
2. (10 min) Read Daniel's letter aloud; pupils answer the questions.
3. (5 min) Read the useful phrases with the class; pupils find the passive and the reported speech.
4. (5 min) Page 2: pupils tick the formal phrases.
5. (20 min) Pupils choose a problem, write their letter and tick the checklist.
6. (5 min) In pairs, one pupil reads a letter and the other, as the manager, says what they will do.

Adaptations

[S] Pupils follow Daniel's letter paragraph by paragraph.

[A] Pupils write the shop's reply.

Materials & prerequisites

One copy of pages 1 and 2 per pupil. Page 3 is the answer key, the model letter and the teacher notes: keep it. Pupils need the passive in the past, reported speech with said that, used to and the second conditional. To take it further, pairs act out the phone call to customer service, one polite and one not.