Making Complaints Politely
Real-world dialogues and role-plays
A complete, ready-to-teach C1 speaking lesson on "Making Complaints Politely". Includes objective, target vocabulary (Excuse me, There’s a problem, I’m afraid, Could you…), warm-up, controlled & freer practice, production task, exit ticket, and homework. Print-and-play or run live in the ReadyESL classroom.
Warm-up (5 min)
Activate prior knowledge: ask students what they already know about making complaints politely. Brainstorm 3–5 words on the board.
Presentation (10 min)
Introduce the target language for Making Complaints Politely using flashcards/visuals. Drill pronunciation chorally, then individually.
- Excuse me
- There’s a problem
- I’m afraid
- Could you
- refund
- apologize
- fix it
- understand
Controlled Practice (10 min)
- Matching: words ↔ pictures
- Gap-fill worksheet
- Pronunciation drill of: Excuse me, There’s a problem, I’m afraid, Could you
Freer Practice (12 min)
Pair role-play using the target phrases for Making Complaints Politely. Swap roles after 4 minutes.
Production (10 min)
Mini-presentation or group share: each student/team produces an original example using the target language.
Cool-down & Exit Ticket (3 min)
Each student says/writes one sentence using a target word from today's lesson.
Homework
Reinforcement: complete the Making Complaints Politely worksheet or record a 30-second voice note using 5 target words.