Content and Organisation - Style - Language features other than style
Example Email
TO: brownhillseltham@brownhils.uk
SUBJECT: Complaint about Restaurant Service and Meal
Attn: Graham Dunstan, Manager
Dear Mr Dunstan,
I am writing to complain about the service I received in your restaurant yesterday, which I chose for an important business lunch after having read an excellent review on the website "Tripadvisor.com". Unfortunately, my experience was quite different to the reviewer's.
Firstly, several of the dishes listed on the menu were unavailable that day and only meat dishes and one fish dish were offered for the main course. There were no vegetarian options available despite the fact that four were listed on the menu - one of my main reasons for choosing your restaurant. This meant that one of my clients, a vegetarian, had to choose two starters rather than a starter and main course. Furthermore, the main courses were not served at the same time. About five minutes after the first was put on the table for one of my clients, none of the others had yet been served. Therefore, he had to start alone, though by this time his food was already cold.. I asked your staff to bring all the other meals as quickly as possible, but by the time they arrived, the first client had almost finished. Finally, the steak which another of my clients had ordered was well-done, although she had specified medium, and in general the quality of the food was unsatisfactory - bland and overcooked.
When I paid the bill, I complained about these problems to your head waiter, but was told to contact you directly in writing.
Given these problems, I feel I am entitled to reimbursement of at least £100, which is half of the amount paid. Please see the copy of the bill attached to this message.
I look forward to receiving your reply within twenty-four hours.
Yours sincerely,
Anne Eliott
Example Letter
Brownhills Electrical Goods
24 Ellison Avenue
35 Hawthorne Road London SE9 5BF
London SE9 5GH
15th January 2025
Dear Sir/Madam,
On 4th January 2025, I bought a dishwasher (Model name: Clean Up 2L, produced by Delta Electrics) in the January sales at your shop in Eltham, at a cost of £200. When I used it for the first time, I discovered that it was faulty. The door did not shut properly and it leaked. I contacted the shop but was told that, as it was a sales item which was no longer available, it could not be replaced. The sales assistant refused to give a refund, again because it was a sales item, but offered to exchange it for an alternative product - which I did not want.
This is in breach of the Consumer Rights Act, which states that goods must be as described, of satisfactory quality and fit for purpose. If this is not the case, whether the item was sold at full price or in a sale, it must either be replaced or the amount paid must be reimbursed.
I am therefore legally entitled to a full refund of the money I paid and I would like you to confirm that this will be possible and that you will collect and take away the faulty dishwasher. If not, I will have no alternative but to take legal action.
I look forward to receiving your reply within seven days of the date of this letter. Please contact me at the above address or by telephone on 020-85682574.
Yours sincerely,
Paul Johnson
Typical Genre Features
Content/Organisation
The following contents are generally recommended for letters of complaint, and this organisation is evidenced by both examples:
- Reason for writing : background information summarising the problem (when, where, who, what happened)
- Further details regarding the problem
- Request for action, including a deadline
Style
Formal, evidenced by features such as :
Full forms rather than contractions – eg I am writing... I would like you... I will have...
Use of passive forms: The main courses were not served...; I was told that... it could not be replaced.
Use of Latinate vocabulary : consider, confirm, entitled, reimbursement
Negation of noun/adjective rather than verb : ... were unavailable (rather than weren't available); there were no vegetarian options (rather than there weren't any vegetarian options) ; I will have no alternative (rather than I won't have any alternative)
Other language features
Use of expressions associated with the lexical field of law: legally entitled, legal action, in breach of..., compensation.
Use of imperatives preceded by Please to request action - Please see the copy of the bill...; Please contact me at the above address.
Use of expressions associated with the lexical field of the complaint topic - eg for the first letter, the field of restaurants and food: head waiter, starter, well-done (steak); for the second, electrical goods and their possible defects: dishwasher, model, leaked
Use of negative adjectives : cold, bland, overcooked, faulty
Connective expressions to highlight the relationships between ideas in the text. Examples: a) sequencers and addition connectives to list a number of problems: Firstly, Furthermore, Finally and b) cause and effect connectives: as it was a sales item... I am therefore legally entitled to..
Use of conventional opening and closing phrases/salutations and other expressions commonly found in business letters:
- Opening: Dear.... (title and surname if known, Sir or Madam if not)
- Closing: I look forward to receiving your reply ..., Yours sincerely (if the name was used in the opening salutation) Yours faithfully, (if not)
Further Reading and Examples
British Council, Learn English A Letter of Complaint
Engexam.com How to write a letter of complaint: Guidelines, Useful language, and Examples
Grammarly, How to write a complaint email - Guidelines and Examplesl
Skuola.net How to write a letter of complaint - Useful Language and Examples
