Karen

I'd like to make a complaint

TITLE

LESSON ?

LESSON 29

BUSINESS ENGLISH

GRAMMAR CLASSES

C2

IDUN (B1)

WRITING TASK

START LESSON

www.mimlanguageservices.com

www.mimlanguageservices.com

First, think of something you often complain about. Then, choose which opinion best encapsulates your attitude and elaborate on your answer. Click on the blue words to learn their meanings

• To be honest, I get a kick out of complaining about this. It helps me to release my frustration.

• I find it useful to complain about this now and again, but I try not to overdo it.

• I find complaining about this to be futile. It just wastes my energy and makes me feel bad.

Discuss the questions.

• What’s the purpose of complaining?

• Do you think complaining is more of a reinforced habit or an innate personality trait?

• Is complaining a part of the national mentality of your country? What is a common thing for people to complain about?

• How do you think social media platforms affect the practice of complaining?

• Do you know anyone who rarely complains, or who complains a lot? If so, what do you think makes them that way?

Look at some idioms and use them to provide a balanced argument in relation to complaining.

Read the sentences about complaining and answer the questions about the words in bold in the next slides. Click on the blue words to learn their meanings

Let’s try and keep it down. My housemate is probably grumbling to herself about the noise. Thanks for letting me vent my frustration. I actually feel much lighter now! Can you stop nitpicking every little detail? It doesn’t need to be perfect – it’s just a new phone! You didn’t want a solution. You were just ranting on about it for the sake of it. Would you stop whinging about that? You sound like a child. The department has been bellyaching about that for ages. We really need to get on top of it. He never stops whining about his problems. It’s giving me a headache. She’s just moaning about having to go in to work early. She’ll be fine!

Discuss the questions.

Discuss the questions.

Discuss the questions.

Discuss the questions. Click on the blue words to learn their meanings

• I think it’s a bit selfish to be opposed to hearing others complain. If you really need

to get something off your chest, your loved ones should be all ears when you go on a rant.

• I think the people who are always moaning on about stuff a lot are usually just

seeking validation, you know? They just want someone to agree that they’re being hard done by and feel sorry for them.

• If you don’t have a whine now and again, you just let things fester and it turns into something bigger in your mind. It’s healthier to let it out!

• There’s a time and place to vent your frustration. If I’m at a social event, I can’t stand listening to someone grumbling away to themselves. It just puts a damper on things.

Discuss the questions. Click on the blue words to learn their meanings

• The problem with complaining is that it creates a negativity bias in the brain. If you spend too much time nitpicking every little thing, you’ll find it hard to enjoy anything at all.

• Some people who take pride in being permanently optimistic don’t realize they’re actually just suppressing their emotions and shaming the rest of us by calling us whingy.

• Don’t complain for the sake of it. If you’re so furious about an issue that you have to bellyache about it, then at least be willing to bounce it off someone else in order to hear a solution.

Read and click

share something with someone to gain their perspective

tell someone about something that has been weighing on your mind

I think it’s a bit selfish to be opposed to hearing others complain. If you really need to get something off your chest, your loved ones should be all ears when you go on a rant.

push uncomfortable feelings from one’s mind

look for acknowledgement or approval

I think the people who are always moaning on about stuff a lot are usually just seeking validation, you know? They just want someone to agree that they’re being hard done by and feel sorry for them.

solidify a pessimistic thinking pattern

make the atmosphere less fun or enjoyable

allow a situation to become worse or more intense

Read

share something with someone to gain their perspective

tell someone about something that has been weighing on your mind

If you don’t have a whine now and again, you just let things fester and it turns into something bigger in your mind. It’s healthier to let it out!

push uncomfortable feelings from one’s mind

look for acknowledgement or approval

There’s a time and place to vent your frustration. If I’m at a social event, I can’t stand listening to someone grumbling away to themselves. It just puts a damper on things.

solidify a pessimistic thinking pattern

make the atmosphere less fun or enjoyable

allow a situation to become worse or more intense

Read

share something with someone to gain their perspective

tell someone about something that has been weighing on your mind

The problem with complaining is that it creates a negativity bias in the brain. If you spend too much time nitpicking every little thing, you’ll find it hard to enjoy anything at all.

push uncomfortable feelings from one’s mind

look for acknowledgement or approval

Some people who take pride in being permanently optimistic don’t realize they’re actually just suppressing their emotions and shaming the rest of us by calling us whingy.

solidify a pessimistic thinking pattern

make the atmosphere less fun or enjoyable

allow a situation to become worse or more intense

Read

share something with someone to gain their perspective

tell someone about something that has been weighing on your mind

Don’t complain for the sake of it. If you’re so furious about an issue that you have to bellyache about it, then at least be willing to bounce it off someone else in order to hear a solution.

push uncomfortable feelings from one’s mind

look for acknowledgement or approval

solidify a pessimistic thinking pattern

make the atmosphere less fun or enjoyable

allow a situation to become worse or more intense

Think of a situation in which a person might do the following.

• regret bouncing something off someone else

• feel relieved to get something off their chest, only to regret it later

• suppress their emotions in a way that is advantageous

• seem like they’re seeking validation, but they’re not

• create a negativity bias around something by accident

• put a damper on a situation on purpose

• let something fester and be glad they did

create a negativity bias around something by accident

regret bouncing something off someone else

put a damper on a situation on purpose

feel relieved to get something off their chest, only to regret it later

suppress their emotions in a way that is advantageous

let something fester and be glad they did

seem like they’re seeking validation, but they’re not

Watch

Think of a situation in which a person might do the following.

• How would you sum up the speaker’s attitude towards people who complain? Do you agree with him?

• Have you encountered any of the types of complainers the speaker mentions (chronic complainers, venters or problem-solvers)?

• Why do you think people are sometimes disinclined to solve the problems they complain about?

• Do you have any tips on how to deal with people who constantly complain?

Overtime

THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING

mimlanguageservices.com

TITLE

Let us know if you have any feedback!

LESSON ?

BUSINESS ENGLISH

Please help us grow by following us on any of the following platforms!

C2

www.mimlanguageservices.com

www.mimlanguageservices.com

get something off your chest

tell someone about something that has been weighing on your mind

to get a kick out of (something)

to enjoy something you probably shouldn't

"Tom gets a kick out of annoying people on the internet."

to moan

to make a low pitched noise when unhappy or in pain ... or when very happy :)

bounce it off someone else

share something with someone to gain their perspective

to rant

to complain about something passionately and intensely usually in a long monologue.

to grumble

to complain about something with a low rumbling sound.

let things fester

allow a situation to become worse or more intense

suppressing their emotions

push uncomfortable feelings from one’s mind

to bellyache

to complain persistently.

to overdo (something)

to do something too much or excessively.

"Don't overdo it at the gym, you might hurt yourself."

futile (adjective)

pointless, useless, meaningless, unproductive

"You're fired. Complaining to the receptionist is futile"

to vent

to release heat or stress

to whinge

to complain about something when you don't get your way.

seeking validation

look for acknowledgement or approval

to whine

to complain in an annoying (often high pitched) way

creates a negativity bias

solidify a pessimistic thinking pattern

puts a damper on things

make the atmosphere less fun or enjoyable.

to nitpick

to obsess over small details