Functions :
Making & Responding
to Complaints
YOUNES ABJAOU
iSLCollective.com
Mother: I’m sorry to say this, but your son broke my window
yesterday. He threw a stone and he almost hit my dog.
Neighbor: Really? Oh dear, I can’t tell you how sorry I am. I
promise this will never happen again.
1. What did the mother complain about?
2. What expression did she use?
3. Did her neighbor accept her complaint?
4. What expression did she use?
YOUNES ABJAOU
iSLCollective.com
Customer: I want to complain about the terrible service of your
ATM. The machine got stuck and I couldn’t draw my money.
Bank clerk: Oh we are sorry, sir. We promise this will never
happen again.
The picture can't be display ed.
1. What did the customer complain about?
The picture
can't be
display ed.
2. What expression did he use?
3. Did the bank clerk accept his complaint?
The
pictu
re
ca…
4. What expression did she use?
YOUNES ABJAOU
iSLCollective.com
Customer: I’m afraid I’ve got a complaint about the new phone I
bought from your store. I found a scratch on it when I unboxed
it.
Store Employee: Sorry to hear that, but there isn’t much we can
do about it. We carefully inspect all phones before sale. The
scratch might have happened after your purchase.
1. What did the customer complain about?
2. What expression did she use?
3. Did the store employee accept her
complaint?
4. What expression did he use?
YOUNES ABJAOU
iSLCollective.com
Fill in the table with expressions from the list:
1. I want to complain about....
2. Sorry there is nothing I can do about it.
3. I'm so sorry, but this will never happen again.
4. Sorry to bother you, but...
5. I'm really sorry; we'll do our best not to make the same mistake again.
6. I'm afraid; there isn't much we can do about it.
7. I'm afraid I've got a complaint about.
8. I sincerely apologize. We promise we’ll never do it again.
19. I'm afraid there is a slight problem with...
10. Please forgive my misbehaviour.
11. I understand your feeling, but the situation is beyond our control
Making complaint Accepting complaint Rejecting complaint
YOUNES ABJAOU
iSLCollective.com
Communication : Making & Responding to Complaints
Making complaint Accepting complaint Rejecting complaint
• Sorry, I have a complaint. • Oh I’m sorry about that. • Sorry there is nothing I/we
• I want to complain about... • I can’t tell you how sorry I am. can do about it.
• I'm afraid I've got a • I'm so sorry, this will never • I'm afraid there isn't much
complaint about… happen again. I/we can do about it.
• I’m sorry to say this but …. • I sincerely apologize. I • I understand your feeling,
• Sorry to bother you, but... promise this will never but the situation is beyond
happen again. my/our control
• Please forgive my
misbehavior.
YOUNES ABJAOU
iSLCollective.com
Activity 1: Fill in the blanks with expressions of making and
responding to complaints
1. You : ___________________ about the noise coming from your house
last night. The music was loud and we couldn’t sleep.
Your neighbor: ___________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________ (Accept complaint)
2. Customer: _________________________________________________ the internet.
It’s getting extremely slow recently.
Employee at the internet company: I understand your concern, but
it's a technical issue beyond our control at the moment.
___________________________________________________________ (reject complaint)
YOUNES ABJAOU
iSLCollective.com
Activity 2: Choose one situation and act out a dialog with your
partner
1. You are waiting in a queue in front of an ATM, and somebody jumped
the queue.
You: (Make a complaint)
The queue jumper: (Respond to complaint)
2. Your neighbor put trash in front of your house.
You: (Make a complaint)
The neighbor: (Respond to complaint)
3. You booked a bus ticket. The bus is overcrowded and your seat is
occupied by another passenger.
You: (Complain to the bus conductor)
Bus conductor: (Respond to complaint)
4. You bought a new book from a bookshop, but you found out that some
pages are missing.
You: (Make a complaint)
Bookshop owner: (Respond to complaint)
YOUNES ABJAOU
iSLCollective.com
