Responding to Complaints - Functional Language
Practise responding to complaints at A2–B1 level with useful phrase patterns and short situation-based responses. A separate page of suggested answers supports checking and discussion of other appropriate responses.
What’s in the worksheet?
- Useful phrase patterns
- Situation-based response practice
- Space for written responses
- Suggested answers on page 2
Acknowledge a complaint and offer a concrete check or helpful action.
Worksheet preview
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Page 1 of 2 · A4 printable PDF
Page 2 of 2 · Answer key · A4 printable PDF
A simple way to teach it
Before the lesson
Give learners page 1; use the suggested answers on page 2 after they have written and compared their own responses.
- Identify acknowledgement, apology and action in the phrase bank; compare Let me check with a firm I'll….
- Write responses to cold food, an unclean room, a faulty link, cancelled train and the remaining problems.
- Act out one exchange, asking for missing details before confirming the next action.
Support and extension
Support with acknowledge/check/action notes. Extend by checking what help the person needs. Keep promises within the fictional speaker's role; access to a shared file should be authorised, not automatically granted.
Suggested approach. Adjust the pace and number of questions to suit your class.
