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At another cafe you order two 'black' coffees (i.e. without milk).
It's Too Hard! - Complaining
Practise ESL Medium English for everyday problems and complaints, and learn how to explain difficulties clearly, ask for help politely, and choose calmer phrases in real conversations.
1 .
You are buying a t-shirt, and try one on (perhaps not sure of the British system of size labels) ~ only to find that it does not fit. What do you say to the shop assistant?
This is the wrong shirt.
Can't you see, it's much too big?
May I try one in the next smaller size, please?
Thank you, but I don't want to buy this.
You could say any, or all, of these things ~ but only Answer 3 suggests a positive way forward, so that is clearly the best answer.
2 .
You are now in a cafe, where you order a drink and a snack (something fairly small to eat: like a sandwich, or a piece of cake or tart). The waiter / waitress forgets to bring you a fork for eating this. What do you say?
Why didn't you bring me a fork?
Excuse me, I think you forgot my fork.
Bring me a fork here, please.
Could you just bring me a fork?
Answer 2 is polite (not all these Answers were!) and suggests, rightly, that this was only a minor mistake ~ such as anyone could make, and is easily corrected. Most of the other suggested ways of dealing with this are unnecessarily brusque and/or rude and critical.
3 .
You are staying in a small, perhaps quite cheap hotel. The water supply in the bathroom is weak and slow, and the 'hot' tap is barely warm. You can't have a proper bath or shower like this, and feel it is not fair.
What do you go and say to 'them' at Reception?
What do you go and say to 'them' at Reception?
Hello again; I think there's a problem with the hot water in our bathroom at Room 36.
Our water is far too cold and slow; what are you going to do about it?
We can't have a proper bath in No.36, and this simply isn't acceptable!
What's the matter with this place? All I want is to get a decent bath. That's not asking too much, is it?
Answers 2 to 4 may express what you are feeling and thinking; but if you say such things, it will not help to 'get the staff on your side' so that they'll want to help you. As always, if you can be polite and clear and positive (and perhaps say 'less, rather than more'), you are more likely to achieve the result you want and need (and deserve).
4 .
Out one day in a British town, you are surprised (perhaps only slightly surprised!) when it begins to rain rather hard. You go into a shop and buy a cheap umbrella. You then continue your walk and you find that the umbrella has a defect: one of the metal parts is broken, and has already torn a small hole in the fabric. You go back to the shop to complain. What do you say?
I don't think much of this umbrella, do you? Maybe it was only £5, but it isn't fit for its one job!
Do you remember you sold me this a few minutes ago? Well, I'm afraid there's a problem. Please have a look at this.
I want my money back: this really isn't satisfactory.
Why can't you just sell things that do what they're supposed to?
Answer 2 is clear, relevant and polite. Even if you are disappointed or angry, you are less likely to get a positive outcome if you say such things as any of the other Answers. Anyone can make an accidental mistake; it's better not to accuse too much!
5 .
You are in a cafe again, this time for a pot of tea with a friend. There is enough tea (and water) for you to have at least two cups each, but they have also brought you a tiny milk-jug. What do you say to the waiter / waitress?
You didn't give us enough milk.
Excuse me; could you bring us some more milk please?
This jug is way too small.
More milk here now please.
Answer 2 is clear and polite.
As a matter of fact and experience, it's not unusual for milk to be served in such a very small jug. Don't be surprised if it happens to you!
As a matter of fact and experience, it's not unusual for milk to be served in such a very small jug. Don't be surprised if it happens to you!
6 .
You see a picture (or print) that you like in an art shop; you go in and ask about it, and decide that ~ if you can afford it ~ you would be keen to buy it. The 'asking price' is £575, which is rather higher than you expected. What do you say?
That's much too expensive for me.
I don't really believe I could go much above £500. Do you think we might be able to reach a deal?
'What if I offered you £500 for it, cash?'
Ah well ... it was interesting to see it, but thanks for your time anyhow.
Answer 1 is almost embarrassingly honest, even if it's true.
You would need to be quite confident of your fluency in English, and your negotiating skills, to start with Answer 3.
Answer 4 is 'defeatist': have you given up without really trying?
You would need to be quite confident of your fluency in English, and your negotiating skills, to start with Answer 3.
Answer 4 is 'defeatist': have you given up without really trying?
7 .
Some British friends offer to take you on a trip in their car to look at the local sights. You are genuinely glad and grateful, but after about 30 minutes in the car you begin to feel sick. What can you say, that is polite but clear?
I'm sorry, but could you stop the car please? I'm not feeling very well.
I'm going to be sick in a minute.
Excuse me, but could you pull over somewhere?
You're driving too fast and rough. My stomach isn't good, I'm afraid.
Answer 1 is good; Answer 3 is also possible, but it doesn't explain what the problem is.
Answer 2 is very abrupt (even if it's true; surely you felt this was coming, and could have given a longer warning?), and Answer 4 seems to be criticising everybody, even if you are feeling uncomfortable.
Answer 2 is very abrupt (even if it's true; surely you felt this was coming, and could have given a longer warning?), and Answer 4 seems to be criticising everybody, even if you are feeling uncomfortable.
8 .
You have left something at a shop, to be worked on for a day or two (e.g. printing your photographs, or dry-cleaning a piece of clothing); and when you come back, the work has not been done or finished. You are due to travel home to your own country in two more days' time. What do you say to the shop assistant?
You said you would do this work in 48 hours, but it's not ready: that's disgraceful, and I want my money back straight away.
Well, clearly that's disappointing, and in fact rather inconvenient. Is there any chance, still, that you could finish it for me by tomorrow afternoon?
This isn't good enough, and I want to speak to your Manager at once.
In my country, people always keep their promises.
Answer 2 explains a bit of the circumstances and offers a possible 'way forward'. All the others are rude and/or confrontational, which is unlikely to help the situation.
9 .
At another cafe you order two 'black' coffees (i.e. without milk). After a few minutes, the waiter/waitress brings you just one cup of coffee, 'white' (i.e. with milk already in it).
What do you say?
What do you say?
Thank you, but I think this may be someone else's order. We asked for two black coffees.
You've brought us the wrong order; we wanted two black ones, didn't we?
This may be a simple mistake, but wasn't it a fairly simple order?
Can't you even do a simple two coffees? I shan't be coming in here again.
As ever, the clear polite answer is best. All the others (2,3,4) are rude or even sarcastic, and criticise the waiter/waitress instead of just accepting that s/he was busy and made a simple error.
10 .
Your friends take you to a sports match or performance: this is quite special for them, with fairly expensive tickets. The weather is not very good, you are tired, and you find it hard to 'follow' (= understand, make sense of) a lot of the event, however hard you try. The event itself also seems to be very long.
On the way home, your friends are keen to hear what you thought of the event. What do you say?
On the way home, your friends are keen to hear what you thought of the event. What do you say?
It was a very impressive performance.
To be honest, I couldn't really follow very much of it, I'm afraid.
Thanks very much for taking me along.
Quite interesting, I felt.
Answer 1 sounds positive and may, technically, be true; you don't mention your own problems.
Answer 2 may sound fair but they will probably find it rather disappointing.
Answer 3 may be kind, but doesn't answer the question that they asked you!
Answer 4 seems very 'flat' after all the effort they have put into taking you to the event. If you had a guest who said this in your country, wouldn't you feel disappointed?
Answer 2 may sound fair but they will probably find it rather disappointing.
Answer 3 may be kind, but doesn't answer the question that they asked you!
Answer 4 seems very 'flat' after all the effort they have put into taking you to the event. If you had a guest who said this in your country, wouldn't you feel disappointed?
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