F U N C T I O N A L S K I L L S E N G L I S H · L E V E L 1
Formal Letters and Complaints
WRITING · LESSON 3 OF 10
Lesson by English
This lesson contains 19 slides, with interactive quizzes and text slides.
F U N C T I O N A L S K I L L S E N G L I S H · L E V E L 1
Formal Letters and Complaints
WRITING · LESSON 3 OF 10
Functional Skills English Level 1 · Writing · Lesson 3 of 10 (about 60 minutes)
Covers: subject content 24 (format, structure and language for audience and purpose) and 22 (communicate information, ideas and opinions clearly). Statements 19 and 21 run through the proofreading.
Before the lesson: print the handout (model letter, task, planning frame and writing lines), one per learner.
Device-free fallback: every activity works with the printed handout, mini whiteboards and hands up.
Description: Functional Skills English Level 1 Writing, lesson 3 of 10. Learners study a tenant's complaint letter to a housing association, learn formal letter layout and formal language, then plan and write their own complaint using problem, impact and action.
Tags: formal letter, complaint letter, letter layout, yours sincerely, yours faithfully, formal language, writing to complain, housing, level 1 writing, exam practice, functional skills english, further education, adult learners Image credit: Vitaly Gariev / Unsplash
😄 Great – ready to go
🙂 Good
😐 Okay
😕 Not great this week
😴 Tired
Wellbeing check: what's your week been like so far?
Phase 0 · Wellbeing check (first 2 mins)
A quick, low-stakes check-in. Only totals show, so nobody is singled out. Say: "There's no right answer. It just helps me plan today."
Act on it: if several learners choose the last two options, ease the pace and build in a pair task early. Check in privately with anyone you are concerned about, and follow your college's wellbeing and safeguarding route.
Editor note: if any emoji have not come through, re-add them in the editor.
Device-free fallback: learners show 1–5 fingers, or write a number on a sticky note face down.
Go back and complain in person
Phone them
Write an email or letter
Post a review online
Nothing – it's not worth the hassle
Something you paid for goes wrong. What do you usually do?
Phase 1 · Hook (2–5 mins)
No wrong answer. Ask two or three learners for the story behind their vote: what went wrong, and did complaining work?
Probe: "Why might a letter or email work better than a phone call?" (You have a written record: proof of what you said, and when.)
Sensitivity: some learners may have live housing or money worries. Keep examples general and never ask anyone to share their own.
Device-free fallback: hands up for each option.
What we're doing today
W R I T I N G
Today you will
Why it matters
set out a formal letter correctly
use formal language, not slang
write a complaint: problem, impact, action
A clear, polite letter gets things fixed: repairs, refunds, bills.
The Level 1 writing exam often asks for a formal letter or email.
Phase 2 · Goals (5–7 mins)
Frame it as a life skill first: repairs, refunds, bills and fines all get sorted faster with a clear letter.
The Level 1 writing assessment lasts about an hour, usually with two writing tasks set in real-life situations. A formal letter or email is a very common one. Marks go to layout, tone and detail as well as spelling, punctuation and grammar, and there is no dictionary or spellchecker.
Device-free fallback: read the slide aloud; learners copy the three goals into their book.
What might make you complain? Think about home, shops and services.
Phase 2 · Activation (7–10 mins)
Free association. Every answer counts: a broken boiler, damp, noisy neighbours, a late delivery, a wrong bill, a gym that's always closed, no phone signal, a cancelled bus.
Then sort them aloud: "Which of these would you write to a landlord about? A company? The council?" That is the audience of the letter.
Device-free fallback: pairs list as many as they can in 60 seconds; collect on the board. Image credit: BEN ELLIOTT / Unsplash
When to write formally
Write a formal letter to someone you don't know, or who has the power to fix things: a landlord, the council, a company.
It gives you a written record: proof of what you said, and when.
Formal means polite, clear and no slang.
Phase 3 · Teaching (10–13 mins)
Say: "If you phone, it's your word against theirs. If you write, you have proof."
Formal means polite, clear and complete: full words (I am, not I'm), no slang, no texting style, no shouting in capitals.
Misconception: formal does not mean long words. Plain, polite English is formal enough.
Probe: "Who in your life might you write formally to?" (Landlord, council, college, an employer, a phone company.)
Device-free fallback: write "formal = polite, clear, complete" on the board. Image credit: Adrien Olichon / Unsplash
A complaint in 3 steps
W R I T I N G
1
The problem. What went wrong, when, and what you have done about it. Give facts and dates.
2
The impact. How it affects you, your family, your money or your work.
3
The action. What you want them to do, and by when. Polite but firm.
Phase 3 · Teaching (13–16 mins)
Click to reveal each step. This is the backbone of any complaint, in a letter, an email or on the phone.
Model it aloud: "My bus pass was charged twice on 3 May (problem). I'm £40 short for food this week (impact). Please refund me within five working days (action)."
Misconception: learners often stop after the problem. Without an action, the reader doesn't know what you want.
Support: give the three words on a card to keep. Stretch: add a deadline to the action.
Device-free fallback: write the three steps on the board one at a time.
Letter · to Ashworth Homes Housing Association
MODEL LETTER · 1 of 2
14 Linden Court
Mill Road
Ashworth AS3 2LP
6 November 2026
Mr D. Okafor
Repairs Manager
Ashworth Homes
Station Street
Ashworth AS1 6QT
Dear Mr Okafor,
Re: Damp and broken boiler at 14 Linden Court
I am writing to complain about two problems in my flat that have still not been repaired.
**Your address and the date.** Top right. Your name does not go here: it goes at the end.
**Their name, job and address.** On the left, a little lower than yours.
**Dear + their name.** Leila knows his name, so she will end with **Yours sincerely**.
**Subject line.** "Re" means "about". The reader knows the topic straight away.
**Opening sentence.** Says straight away **why** she is writing.
Phase 3 · Model letter, page 1 (16–20 mins)
Learners follow on the handout. Read the top half aloud, then open hotspots 1–5: this is the layout examiners look for.
Vocabulary: a housing association is a not-for-profit landlord; Re: means "about".
Misconception: your own name does not go above your address. It goes at the end, under the sign-off.
Probe: "Why does the date matter in a complaint?" (It proves when you told them.)
Device-free fallback: printed letter; learners label the address, date, greeting and subject line.
Letter · to Ashworth Homes Housing Association
MODEL LETTER · 2 of 2
Firstly, the boiler has not worked since 14 October. I reported it by phone on 15 and 22 October, but no engineer has visited. Secondly, black mould is spreading on the bedroom walls because of damp.
As a result, we have had no heating or hot water for three weeks. My son has asthma, and the mould is making his breathing worse.
I would be grateful if you could repair the boiler and treat the damp within seven days. Please call me on 07700 900482 to arrange a visit.
I look forward to your reply.
Yours sincerely,
Leila Hassan
Leila Hassan
**The problem.** Facts and dates: what went wrong, and what she has already done about it.
**Linking words.** Firstly, Secondly and As a result guide the reader through the letter.
**The impact.** How the problems affect her family. This shows why it is urgent.
**The action.** Exactly what she wants, and by when. Polite but firm.
**Sign-off.** Yours sincerely (capital Y, small s), a comma, her signature, then her name printed.
Phase 3 · Model letter, page 2 (20–24 mins)
Read it aloud, then open hotspots 1–5. Ask learners to find problem, impact, action before you open them.
Probe: "Is Leila rude?" (No. She is firm: facts, dates, a deadline. Polite and firm is the target tone.)
Vocabulary: asthma is a condition that makes breathing difficult; grateful = thankful (spelling: grateful, one l).
Misconception: "sincerely" is often misspelt. Say it in parts: sin-cere-ly.
Device-free fallback: learners underline the problem in one colour, the impact in another and the action in a third.
Leila starts with Dear Mr Okafor. How should she end her letter?
Best wishes
Yours faithfully
Yours sincerely
Thanks, Leila
Phase 4 · Check (24–26 mins)
Answer: C. She knows his name, so it is Yours sincerely.
The rule: Dear Mr/Ms + name → Yours sincerely. Dear Sir or Madam (name not known) → Yours faithfully. Memory trick: "Sir and sincerely never go together." Sir or Madam → faithfully.
Why the others are wrong: A and D are too friendly for a complaint. B is formal, but it is for when you don't know the name.
Device-free fallback: learners hold up A–D cards or fingers.
Drag each phrase: does it suit a formal complaint letter, or is it informal?
Formal
Informal
Hiya, hope you're good
I am writing to complain about…
I would be grateful if you could…
Sort it out now!!
Gonna be honest, it's rubbish
I look forward to your reply.
Phase 4 · Practice: formal or informal? (26–30 mins)
Learners drag each phrase. Then ask: "How would you make the informal ones formal?"
Answers: Formal: I am writing to complain about… · I would be grateful if you could… · I look forward to your reply. Informal: Hiya, hope you're good · Sort it out now!! · Gonna be honest, it's rubbish.
Better versions: "Sort it out now!!" → "Please repair it within seven days." "It's rubbish" → "The service has been very poor."
Device-free fallback: read each phrase aloud; learners show F or I on a mini whiteboard.
Why you are writing
Their name and address
What you want them to do
Dear Mr Okafor,
Yours sincerely and your name
Your address and the date
The problem and its impact
Put the parts of a formal letter in the right order.
Phase 4 · Practice: letter order (30–32 mins)
Learners drag the parts into order without looking back at the model, then check.
Answer: your address and date → their name and address → Dear Mr Okafor → why you are writing → problem and impact → what you want → Yours sincerely and your name.
Common slip: putting their address first. Yours always goes at the top right.
Device-free fallback: write the seven parts on strips of paper; pairs put them in order.
Complete the formal letter.
I am writing to complain about my broken boiler. It has not worked since 14 October. I would be grateful if you could repair it within seven days.
Phase 4 · Check: fix the sentences (32–35 mins)
Answers: writing · since · grateful.
Distractors: "wrote" does not follow "I am"; "for" needs a length of time (for three weeks), "since" needs a start date; "greatful" is a common misspelling. There is no dictionary in the exam, so learn it: grateful.
Editor note: after pushing, set this fill's text to 28px in the editor.
Device-free fallback: write the sentences on the board with gaps; learners copy and fill them in.
The problem
How it affects me
What I want them to do
Plan your complaint: type one idea, then file it under the right heading.
Phase 5 · Plan (35–39 mins)
Read out the two choices first (they are on the next slide): A the gym at Ashworth Leisure Centre has been closed for three weeks but still charges £28 a month; B Linkwave, a phone company, has given no signal at home for a month. Learners choose A or B, type ideas and file each under a heading. Aim for at least two in each.
Good ideas include: Problem: gym closed since 20 October; no reply to my email; still charged £28. Impact: paying for nothing; can't train for a fun run; signal drops during work calls. Action: refund for the weeks closed; reopen by a date; fix the mast or let me leave without a fee.
Support: pairs share one device. Stretch: add a date or an amount to every idea.
Device-free fallback: learners draw three boxes on the planning frame in the handout.
Your turn: write the letter
minute
second
Write a formal letter of complaint. Choose A or B. Write about 150–200 words. You do not know the manager's name.
A. Ashworth Leisure Centre's gym has been closed for three weeks, but you still pay £28 a month.
B. Linkwave, your phone company, has given you no signal at home for a month.
In your letter: explain the problem · say how it affects you · say what you want them to do.
Useful phrases
I am writing to complain about…
Since… · As a result,…
I would be grateful if…
I look forward to your reply.
Yours faithfully,
Phase 5 · Write, exam style (39–54 mins)
Learners work alone, on paper, using their plan. Start the 15-minute timer. Leave the last 2 minutes for checking.
The twist: they don't know the manager's name, so it is Dear Sir or Madam and Yours faithfully. Ask who spotted it.
Support: use the planning frame and phrases; a four-paragraph letter is fine. Stretch: add a deadline and say what you will do if nothing happens ("If I do not hear from you by…, I will…").
Device-free fallback: the task is on the handout with writing lines.
Check your writing
W R I T I N G
1. Addresses and date?
2. Greeting and sign-off?
3. Problem, impact, action?
4. Formal words, no slang?
5. Proofread?
Your name goes at the end, not at the top.
Name not known? Faithfully.
One paragraph for each is a good shape.
Polite but firm. No capitals for shouting.
There is no spellchecker in the exam.
Your address and the date top right; their name and address on the left.
Dear Sir or Madam → Yours faithfully. Dear Ms Patel → Yours sincerely.
The problem with dates, how it affects you, then what you want and by when.
Full words: I am, not I'm. No slang, no texting style.
Capitals for names and places, full stops, and spell sincerely and faithfully right.
Phase 6 · Check your writing (54–57 mins)
Learners swap letters with a partner (or self-check). Click each yellow marker to reveal what good looks like; partners tick or circle each point.
Common errors: Yours Sincerely (capital S); sincerely/faithfully misspelt; Dear Sir or Madam with Yours sincerely; "I'm", "gonna"; no deadline.
Proofreading habit: read it once for sense, then once slowly for capitals, full stops and spelling, finger under each word.
Device-free fallback: read the five points aloud; learners tick them on the handout checklist.
You can now…
W R I T I N G
set out a formal letter with addresses, date, greeting and sign-off
choose Yours sincerely or Yours faithfully correctly
write a polite, firm complaint: problem, impact, action
Phase 6 · Celebrate progress (57–58 mins)
Click to bring in each tick. Ask: "Which of these feels solid now? Which needs more practice?" Name it as real progress: a well set-out formal letter earns marks for format, tone and detail.
Device-free fallback: learners tick the three statements in their book, adding a question mark next to any they are unsure about. Image credit: LessonUp Studio (made for this series)
The layout (addresses and date)
Choosing sincerely or faithfully
Sounding formal, not chatty
Saying exactly what I want
Checking spelling and punctuation
Which part of a formal letter feels hardest for you right now?
Phase 6 · Reflect (58–60 mins)
No right answer. Use the results to plan: the most popular choice is the warm-up next time.
Ask one or two learners: "What will you do differently in your next letter?"
Device-free fallback: learners write their choice and one next step on an exit slip.
Take it further
W R I T I N G
Stretch: in class
Before next lesson
Rewrite your letter as a formal email to the same person. What changes? What stays the same?
Then add one polite sentence that gives a deadline.
Find a real formal letter: from a bank, the council, your college or a doctor's surgery.
Write down:
how it starts and ends
three formal phrases
one thing it asks you to do
Take it further
Stretch is for early finishers in class. A formal email keeps the greeting, paragraphs, tone and sign-off, but drops the addresses and date and adds a subject line.
Before next lesson needs no device. Learners bring their phrases to Lesson 4 (articles, leaflets and reports), where we compare how different forms set out information.
Device-free fallback: this slide is already paper-based.