Reading: A Letter of Complaint
Reading a letter of complaint is a B2 formal-correspondence reading skill worksheet. The text presents a typical formal complaint letter to a company — opening, problem description, evidence (dates, receipts, references), impact, requested remedy, expected next step, and formal closing. Learners read for structural recognition (the complaint-letter format), register identification (polite firmness), and content extraction (specific dates, amounts, requested actions).
This worksheet builds B2 formal-correspondence reading skill.
Worksheet preview
What’s inside:
- A B2 formal complaint letter (~500 words) with annotated structure
- Pre-reading vocabulary box with formal correspondence and complaint terms
- Comprehension items: structure-identification, detail-finding, remedy-recognition
- Vocabulary-in-context: formal-complaint vocabulary
- Writing follow-up: identify the key features of the letter and apply them to a complaint of your own
- Full Answer Key plus Teacher Notes
Common challenges: Formal-correspondence register at B2: I am writing to express my concern, I would appreciate, I trust you will, I look forward to your response. Distinguishing measured complaint from aggressive complaint. Polite firmness vocabulary: unfortunately, disappointing, fall short of expectations, fail to meet standards.
For: Adult and teenage learners (14+) at CEFR B2, in upper-intermediate classes, 1:1 lessons, or self-study. Maps onto Cambridge B2 First (FCE) Reading and BEC Vantage. Part of the Practical Reading Skills collection — the natural next step is Reading a Formal Report, which extends formal-text reading into institutional-document territory.
