TEACHER’S NOTES

ESL / EFL RESOURCES I can't get no satisfaction!

Activity Type Introduction

Reading, listening In this complaints role-play activity, students make and deal with
and speaking activity, complaints in various situations and score how satisfied they are
pairwork with each outcome.

Procedure
Language Focus
Divide the students into pairs (A and B).
Complaining and
apologizing
Give each student a corresponding set of A or B role cards.

Tell the students not to show their cards to their partner.

Aim
To make and deal with The students then take it in turns to role-play each situation with
complaints in various one person making the complaint and the other dealing with the
situations and to score complaint and deciding how to react.
how satisfied you are
with each outcome. The person dealing with the complaint circles the 1 to 5 scale on
their card, depending on how helpful they want to be, one being
not at all helpful and five being very helpful.
Preparation
When the role-play has finished, the student making the complaint
Make one copy of the
decides how satisfied they are about the outcome and circles the
cards for each pair of
appropriate number at the bottom of their card.
students and cut as
indicated. Keep the
The two students then compare their numbers to see if they match
Student A and B cards
or not.
separate.
When the students have finished all the role-plays, ask them to
Level report back what happened in each situation and how satisfied
the person complaining felt and why.
Pre-intermediate

Time
25 minutes

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 COMPLAINING AND APOLOGIZING

ESL / EFL RESOURCES I can't get no satisfaction!

Student A - At the clothes shop Student B - At the clothes shop

You are a shop assistant in a clothes shop.

You bought a pair of shorts two weeks ago
Your shop has a strict no refund policy, but
but when you washed them the colour faded.
customers can exchange items if they have
You want a refund, but you don’t have your
a receipt. Decide how helpful you want to be
receipt anymore. Make a complaint.
and then deal with a complaint.

How helpful do you want to be? How satisfied are you?

L 1 2 3 4 5
J L 1 2 3 4 5
J
Student A - At the supermarket Student B - At the supermarket

You slipped and fell on a wet floor and hurt You are the manager of a supermarket. You
your leg. There was no sign to warn you of have to deal with a difficult customer who
the slippery floor. Decide what you want the often complains. Decide how helpful you
manager to do and make a complaint. want to be and then deal with the complaint.

How satisfied are you? How helpful do you want to be?

L 1 2 3 4 5
J L 1 2 3 4 5
J
Student A - At the restaurant Student B - At the restaurant

You are a waiter/waitress. Your customer

You are in a restaurant. You think your
has already complained about the seating.
fish is undercooked. Decide what you want
Decide how helpful you want to be and
the waiter/waitress to do and then make a
then deal with another complaint from the
complaint.
customer.

How helpful do you want to be? How satisfied are you?

L 1 2 3 4 5
J L 1 2 3 4 5
J
Student A - At the amusement park Student B - At the amusement park

You can’t find your coat. You left it at You are the manager at an amusement
the entrance and were given a ticket in park. The park is not responsible for lost or
exchange. Decide what you want the misplaced items. Decide how helpful you
manager to do and then make a complaint. want to be and then deal with a complaint.

How satisfied are you? How helpful do you want to be?

L 1 2 3 4 5
J L 1 2 3 4 5
J
Teach-This.com © 2019 Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.