Write an Email of Complaint B1 Writing Practice Tests Rules & Examples

How to Write an Email of Complaint in English

A complaint email is a formal or semi-formal message you write when something has gone wrong — for example, when a product is faulty, a service was poor, or a booking was handled incorrectly. In real life, people write complaint emails to shops, hotels, airlines, restaurants, and online companies every day. Writing a clear, polite, and well-organised complaint email is an extremely useful skill, both in everyday life and in English examinations.

At B1 level, a good complaint email should be 100–120 words, organised into 3–4 clear paragraphs, and written in a neutral or semi-formal register — polite and professional, but not overly stiff or cold. You should clearly explain what happened, why you are unhappy, and what action you would like the company or person to take.

Essential Writing Rules & Sentence Structure

1. Use a Clear Paragraph Structure

Every complaint email at B1 level should follow this four-paragraph plan:

• Paragraph 1 — Opening & Purpose: State why you are writing immediately. Use a formal greeting and introduce the problem clearly.
• Paragraph 2 — What Happened: Describe the problem in detail. Use past tenses accurately and include specific facts (dates, order numbers, names).
• Paragraph 3 — How It Affected You: Explain the consequences of the problem and why it was unacceptable.
• Paragraph 4 — What You Want: State clearly what action you expect (a refund, a replacement, an apology) and close politely.

2. Use Complex Sentences and Relative Clauses

Avoid writing a list of short, simple sentences. Instead, combine your ideas using relative clauses and subordinate clauses to show B1-level ability.

Simple (too basic): I bought a laptop. It was broken. I am angry.

Complex (B1 level): I am writing about the laptop which I ordered last week, as it arrived in a damaged condition.

3. Use Narrative Past Tenses Accurately

When describing what went wrong, you will need to use a combination of past tenses:

• Past simple — for completed actions: The parcel arrived on Monday.
• Past continuous — for actions in progress: I was waiting for over an hour when the manager finally appeared.
• Past perfect — for actions completed before another past action: When the engineer arrived, the damage had already spread to two rooms.

4. Punctuation with Linking Adverbs

At B1 level, you must use a comma after linking adverbs at the start of a sentence. This is one of the most common punctuation mistakes in complaint writing.

Incorrect: However the manager was unhelpful.

Correct: However, the manager was unhelpful.

This rule applies to: However, / Therefore, / In addition, / As a result, / Unfortunately,

Useful Linking Words (Connectors)

Using a variety of linking words makes your complaint email more cohesive and easier to read. Study this table carefully and try to use at least four different connectors in your writing.

Model Writing Sample: Complaint About a Faulty Product

Read the task below, then study the model answer carefully. Notice how the writer uses paragraphs, linking words, and a polite but firm tone throughout.

The Task

You recently ordered a pair of headphones from an online shop called SoundZone. When they arrived, you discovered that they were broken and the wrong colour. You tried to contact customer services but nobody helped you. Write an email to the manager of SoundZone. In your email, explain what happened, describe the problems, and say what you would like the company to do.

Model Answer

To: manager@soundzone.co.uk
Subject: Complaint Regarding Order #SZ4821

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to complain about an order which I received from your website on 14th March. Unfortunately, the headphones that were delivered were both the wrong colour and completely broken on arrival.

When I opened the parcel, I noticed that the headphones were black, even though I had clearly ordered white ones. In addition, the left earpiece was already cracked and produced no sound at all. I immediately contacted your customer services team; however, nobody was able to help me or offer a solution.

Since I paid £65 for this product, I consider this situation completely unacceptable. Therefore, I would be grateful if you could send me a full replacement as soon as possible, or provide a complete refund.

I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours faithfully,
Maria Kovacs

Model Answer — Annotated Breakdown

Key Phrases & Sentence Starters

Memorise these useful phrases and use them as building blocks when you write your own complaint email.

Greetings & Subject Lines

• Dear Sir or Madam, — use this when you do not know the person's name.
• Dear Mr Johnson, / Dear Ms Patel, — use this when you know the person's name.
• Subject: Complaint Regarding [topic/order number]
• Subject: Formal Complaint — [your problem, e.g. Poor Service at Your Restaurant]

Opening Lines & Stating Your Purpose

• I am writing to complain about...
• I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with...
• I recently purchased / visited / stayed at ... and I was extremely disappointed.
• I would like to bring a serious matter to your attention.
• I am contacting you regarding the order which I placed on [date].

Giving Details & Describing the Problem

• When I arrived / opened the parcel / checked in, I noticed that...
• The [product/service] was completely different from what I had expected.
• In addition, I also discovered that...
• Even though I had already complained about this, nothing was done.
• Although the [member of staff / website] stated that..., this was not the case.
• Unfortunately, the situation was made worse by the fact that...
• I was kept waiting for over [time], which I found completely unacceptable.

Explaining the Impact

• As a result, I was unable to...
• This caused me a great deal of inconvenience because...
• Since I had paid for a premium service, I expected a much higher standard.
• This is not the level of service I would expect from a company of your reputation.

Making Your Request

• I would be grateful if you could send me a full refund / replacement.
• I would like to request a complete refund of [amount].
• I expect this matter to be resolved within [timeframe].
• Could you please look into this matter as soon as possible?
• I would appreciate a written response within 5 working days.

Ending Your Email & Sign-offs

• I look forward to hearing from you.
• I hope this matter can be resolved quickly and efficiently.
• Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require any further information.
• Yours faithfully, [Your Name] — use when you wrote 'Dear Sir or Madam'
• Yours sincerely, [Your Name] — use when you wrote 'Dear Mr / Ms [Name]'

Common Writing Mistakes to Avoid

Study these typical B1-level errors carefully. Make sure you do not make the same mistakes in your own writing.

Mistake 1: Confusing 'Although' and 'However'

❌ Although, I complained twice, nothing was done.
✅ Although I complained twice, nothing was done. — 'Although' introduces a subordinate clause and does not take a comma directly after it. It connects two clauses within one sentence.

❌ I complained twice. Although nothing was done.
✅ I complained twice. However, nothing was done. — Use 'However,' to contrast two separate sentences. It always begins the second sentence and is always followed by a comma.

Mistake 2: Missing the Comma After Linking Adverbs

❌ Therefore I would like a full refund.
✅ Therefore, I would like a full refund. — The linking adverbs 'However,', 'Therefore,', 'In addition,', and 'As a result,' must always be followed by a comma when they begin a sentence.

Mistake 3: Tense Inconsistency When Describing Events

❌ I open the box and I saw that the screen was broken.
✅ I opened the box and saw that the screen was broken. — When narrating a sequence of completed past events, keep all verbs in the past simple. Do not switch to the present tense accidentally.

Mistake 4: Spelling of Key B1 Complaint Words

❌ I was completly disapointed with the prodcut.
✅ I was completely disappointed with the product. — Learn these commonly misspelt words: completely, disappointed, necessary, recommend, definitely, replacement.

Mistake 5: Using 'Despite' Incorrectly

❌ Despite I contacted you three times, I received no reply.
✅ Despite contacting you three times, I received no reply. — 'Despite' and 'in spite of' must be followed by a noun or gerund (-ing form), never by a full clause with a subject and verb.

Writing Checklist & Practice Task

Writing Checklist

Before you submit your complaint email, go through this checklist carefully. Tick each point when you are satisfied.

• ✅ Have you used a clear subject line that summarises your complaint?
• ✅ Have you used the correct formal greeting (Dear Sir or Madam, or Dear Mr / Ms [Name],)?
• ✅ Does your first paragraph clearly state the reason you are writing?
• ✅ Have you described what happened using accurate past tenses (past simple, past continuous, or past perfect where appropriate)?
• ✅ Have you used at least four different linking words or connectors from the table above?
• ✅ Have you placed a comma after 'However,', 'Therefore,', and 'In addition,' when they begin a sentence?
• ✅ Have you used at least one relative clause with 'which', 'who', or 'that'?
• ✅ Have you clearly stated what action you would like the company to take?
• ✅ Have you used the correct sign-off (Yours faithfully or Yours sincerely)?
• ✅ Is your email between 100 and 120 words?
• ✅ Have you checked the spelling of: disappointed, completely, necessary, replacement, sincerely, faithfully?

Your Practice Task

Now write your own complaint email using the task below. Aim for 100–120 words and use the model answer, key phrases, and checklist above to help you.

Task:

You stayed at a hotel called The Grand View Hotel last weekend. You were very unhappy with your stay because your room had not been cleaned properly, the breakfast you ordered was cold and arrived late, and the receptionist was rude when you tried to complain. Write an email to the hotel manager. In your email, describe the problems you experienced, explain how they affected your stay, and say what you would like the hotel to do.

Remember to include:

• A clear subject line
• A formal greeting
• An opening sentence that states your purpose
• Two or three specific complaints with details
• A clear request for action
• A formal closing and sign-off

Now test your writing mechanics and sentence skills in the exercises below.