Complaints, Requests & Offers

Looking for an engaging ESL activity to teach functional English like making requests, offers, and complaints? We’ve got you covered! This free downloadable PDF for ESL teachers is perfect for pairwork and conversation-based lessons.

Whether you’re teaching customer service English, business English, or just everyday interactions, this printable ESL role-play game is a fantastic way to boost fluency, vocabulary, and student confidence.

What’s in the PDF?

This activity includes:

Printable expression cards with polite phrases for making offers, requests, and dealing with complaints
Instructions for an easy, no-prep classroom role-play game
Built-in flexibility to fit a wide range of levels (ideal for B1 to C1)

How the Activity Works

Brainstorm Real-Life Situations
Start by discussing common situations that often involve complaints or negotiation, such as:
- Booking a hotel room
- Returning a faulty product
- Making a phone complaint
- Delayed deliveries or incorrect invoices
Shuffle & Deal the Cards
Give each pair of students a shuffled deck of expression cards (included in the PDF).
Role-Play & Score Points
Students pick roles (e.g. customer vs. staff), choose a scenario, and begin role-playing. The catch? They must use the expressions on the cards naturally during the conversation. Each successful usage = 1 point!
Repeat with New Scenarios
Switch roles, pick a new situation, and continue. The more phrases they use, the better!

Why Teachers Love This Activity

Improves speaking and improvisation skills
Focuses on realistic, high-frequency expressions
Encourages collaborative learning
Teaches key skills for complaining politely, requesting things clearly, and offering help effectively
Great for business English, customer service, or general ESL learners

Plus, it’s low-prep and classroom-tested!

Teaching Tip

Want to take it further? Turn the game into a mini competition:

Award a prize for the pair who uses the most phrases.
Ask students to write a short dialogue based on their favorite scenario and perform it for the class.

This keeps the lesson fun, fast-paced, and focused on real communication.

Bring your ESL classroom to life with this free printable role-play activity—because learning polite English shouldn’t be boring!as a listening dictation with recorded examples.