Email Complaint
This lesson focuses on writing an email complaint, including introducing yourself, clearly stating the problem, and requesting a resolution in a professional tone
Part 1
Pre-Reading
Answer the questions
Have you ever complained about something?
Who did you speak with to place your complaint?
What was the result of your complaint?
Do you know someone who complains too much?
What is something that people should not complain about?
Match the words on the left with the correct meanings on the right.
express ___
to ask for
fall apart ___
to have a reason to get something
request ___
to provide a warranty, to make a promise
forward ___
a symbol
apologize ___
to be slow to decide, act, or speak
guarantee ___
to send
be entitled to ___
to not stay together
hesitate ___
worry or anxiety
token ___
to say “sorry”
concern ___
repayment, giving back money that was spent
refund ___
to state your opinion or feelings
Part 2
Reading
Practice reading the email messages out loud with your teacher.
Underline any words or phrases you don’t understand.
A. Email #1
To: [email protected]
Subject: Product Complaint
Date: September 1, 2015
Dear Mr. Timson,
I am writing to express my disappointment about the books I ordered for my English class from River Education Books.
The books arrived, but they’re in bad shape. They’re falling apart. I can’t ask my students to pay that much for something that isn’t made well. I hope the other products from River Education are better made.
I’m writing to request a refund. I’ll have my students return the books to the bookstore. Please forward any information I need in order to get my refund.
Sincerely,
Henry Skinrb
B. Email #2
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Product Complaint
Date: September 2, 2015
Dear Mr. Skinrb,
I want to apologize for the disappointing experience you had with River Education Books.
Our motto is “Satisfaction guaranteed.” Since you are not completely satisfied with the books, you are entitled to a full refund. I’ll process your refund immediately. Please keep the books as a token of our appreciation for the trouble. I hope this won’t keep you from ordering from River Education Books again.
If you have any other questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us again.
Sincerely,
Lee Timson
Part 3
Comprehension
Read the emails carefully. Then answer the following questions based on the information provided in the emails.
What type of class did Mr. Sknirb order his books for?
What is the motto for River Education Books?
Why did Rita Wei contact Lee Timson?
What did Lee Timson tell Mr. Sknirb to do with the books he already has?
Part 4
Vocabulary Review
Complete the sentences using vocabulary from Vocabulary Preview section.
You may need to change the word forms.
I would like to ____________ my gratitude for the job well done!
I had to ____________ help for my writing assignment.
John ____________ an email message to me so I could see the information.
I used the catalog so many times that it’s __________.
The store would not give me a ____________ because I didn’t have a copy of my receipt.
Doug needs to ____________ to his employees because he gave them the wrong information.
Meg sent everyone a thank-you letter as a ____________ of her appreciation for the birthday gifts.
Due to bad service, the restaurant manager did not ____________ to give us our money back.
The teacher said we would be ____________ to a good grade if we completed all of the assignments.
The car did not come with a ____________ , so when it broke down, we could not get it fixed.
Part 5
Speaking
Work with your teacher. One of you will pretend to be Mr. Sknirb and the other will be Lee. Imagine that the complaint and apology on page 2 took place on the phone instead of in an email. Write a telephone conversation based on the information in the email exchange. Practice your dialogue.
Part 6
Writing
Write an email message complaining about something you bought recently. Remember that most complaint letters are polite. They state the problem and a possible result.
Part 7
Listening
Fill in the blanks as you listen to the recordings.
A. Emails #1
To: [email protected]
Subject: Product Complaint
Date: September 1, 2015
Dear Mr. Timson,
I am writing to ________________ my disappointment about the books I ordered for my English class from River Education Books.
The books arrived, but they’re in bad shape. They’re ________________. I can’t ask my students to pay that much for something that isn’t made well. I hope the other products from River Education are better made.
I’m writing to ________________ a refund. I’ll have my students return the books to the bookstore. Please ________________ any information I need in order to get my ________________.
Sincerely,
Henry Skinrb
B. Emails #2
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Product Complaint
Date: September 2, 2015
Dear Mr. Skinrb,
I want to ________________ for the disappointing experience you had with River Education Books.
Our motto is “Satisfaction ________________.” Since you are not completely satisfied with the books, you ________________ a full refund. I’ll process your refund immediately. Please keep the books as a ________________ of our appreciation for the trouble. I hope this won’t keep you from ordering from River Education Books again.
If you have any other questions or concerns, please don’t ________________ to contact us again.
Sincerely,
Lee Timson
Part 8
Correspondence Building
The correspondence below is not in the right order. Cut up
the strips, and then work alone or with a partner to rearrange them into the correct order. Then read the correspondence out loud.
A. Email #1
a) Henry Sknirb |
| b) Dear Mr. Timson, |
| c) I can’t ask my students to pay that much for something that isn’t made well. |
| d) The books arrived, but they’re in bad shape. |
| e) I’ll have my students return the books to the bookstore. |
| f) To: [email protected] Subject: Product Complaint Date: September 1, 2015 |
| g) I hope the other products from River Education are better made. |
| h) Sincerely, |
| i) Please forward any information I need in order to get my refund. |
| j) I’m writing to request a refund. |
| k) I am writing to express my disappointment about the books I ordered for my English class from River Education Books. |
| l) They’re falling apart. |
B. Email #2
m) To: [email protected] |
| n) Since you are not completely satisfied with the books, you are entitled to a full refund. |
| o) I want to apologize for the disappointing experience you had with River Education Books. |
| p) Please keep the books as a token of our appreciation for the trouble. |
| q) Lee Timson |
| r) Sincerely, |
| s) Dear Mr. Sknirb, |
| t) I’ll process your refund immediately. |
| u) I hope this won’t keep you from ordering from River Education Books again. |
| v) Our motto is “Satisfaction guaranteed.” |
| w) If you have any other questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us again. |