Band 7 Example
Topic: Describe a time when you made a complaint about something and were pleased with the result
Example
A complaint at a restaurant Who you complained to I'm going to talk about a time I had to complain at a restaurant. I spoke directly to the manager because I felt the issue needed immediate attention. What you complained about The complaint was about the service we received, which was unusually slow and inattentive. We had been waiting for over an hour for our main courses to arrive, and our waiter seemed to have forgotten about us after taking our orders. How easy it was to complain It was relatively easy to complain, as the manager was very approachable and seemed genuinely interested in ensuring that customers had a good experience at the restaurant. I simply flagged him down and explained the situation calmly. Explain why you were pleased with the result of the complaint I was pleased with the result because the manager was very apologetic and took immediate action to rectify the situation. He explained that there had been a mix-up in the kitchen with our order. To make up for the inconvenience, he offered us a complimentary dessert and a discount on the meal. Additionally, he assured us that he would personally oversee our service for the rest of the evening. The rest of the night went smoothly, and the gestures made by the manager showed a commitment to customer satisfaction, which I greatly appreciated. It turned what could have been a disappointing evening into a memorable dining experience.
Grammar Analysis
The answer effectively uses past tense to narrate the event, maintaining consistency throughout, which is crucial for clarity in storytelling. For example, "I had to complain," "We had been waiting," and "He offered us." This helps to clearly set the timeline of events. The use of modal verbs like "could" and "would" effectively expresses possibility and hypothetical situations, enhancing the explanation of the actions taken and their potential impact, as seen in "It could have been a disappointing evening." The response is structured with clear, logical progression from the situation to the resolution, using linking phrases such as "To make up for the inconvenience," which helps in making the narrative easy to follow and understand.
Vocabulary
  • - **complain at a restaurant**: Sets the context of the complaint.
  • - **immediate attention**: Indicates the urgency and importance of the issue.
  • - **unusually slow and inattentive**: Describes the service quality in detail.
  • - **approachable**: Characterizes the manager, adding to the narrative.
  • - **rectify the situation**: Formal way of saying to correct or fix the issue.
  • - **complimentary dessert**: Specific compensation offered, which adds to the satisfaction.
  • - **customer satisfaction**: Key phrase in service-related experiences.
  • - **memorable dining experience**: Summarizes the overall impact of the resolution on the experience.