23526 conversation lesson on complaining and blaming

Special Topic: Complaining (It's too easy! It's too hard! It's not exactly what I want!)

What’s Your Pet Peeve ?
PEEVE \'pev\ n 1: an annoyance 2 : a mood of resentment 3 : a distinctive complaint :
annoyance, irritation, nuisance, irritant, bother, aggravation
Here are a few different kinds of Pet Peeves:
Traffic Peeves : Tailgaters
Why do so many people have to tailgate, leaving only a hair's length between your car and theirs,
no matter what lane you're in and no matter how fast you're going?
Workplace Irritations: When people change the settings on the copy machine and don't change
it back to normal.
Social Transgressions: People who let you embarrass yourself and don't tell you.
For example, when your zipper is undone or you're trailing toilet paper on your shoe... and people
think they're being polite by not saying anything.
Product and Packaging Stupidity: Opening a big box of cookies to find smaller boxes inside
and then even smaller boxes inside those boxes.
Language Use and Abuse: Overused Slang/Language
“What did you do on the weekend?” “Nothing special, I took a rest.”
Internet Irritants: Dead Links/Webpages
All those 404 File Not Found errors.
1) Questions - Ask and answer these questions with your partner.
1. What's this article about?
2. Do you have any of the pet peeves mentioned in the article? Which? Why does it bother you?
3. Can you think of more pet peeves for each category? Use the chart to help:
Traffic/Drivin
g

Work

Social/Friends Products/Food

4. What is your biggest pet peeve? Why does it bother you so much?

Language

Internet/Tech


Special Topic: Complaining (It's too easy! It's too hard! It's not exactly what I want!)

What’s Your Pet Peeve ?
PEEVE \'pev\ n 1: an annoyance 2 : a mood of resentment 3 : a distinctive complaint :
annoyance, irritation, nuisance, irritant, bother, aggravation
Here are a few different kinds of Pet Peeves:
Traffic Peeves : _________________
Why do so many people have to tailgate, leaving only a _______________________ between
your car and theirs, no matter what lane you're in and no matter how fast you're going?
Workplace Irritations: When people change the ________________ on the copy machine and
don't change it back to normal.
Social Transgressions: People who let you ___________________ yourself and don't tell you.
For example, when your ____________ is undone or you're ____________ toilet paper on your
shoe... and people think they're being ___________ by not saying anything.
Product and Packaging Stupidity: Opening a big box of ______________ to find smaller boxes
inside and then ____________________ boxes inside those boxes.
Language Use and Abuse: Overused Slang/Language
“What did you do on the weekend?” “________________________________________.”
Internet Irritants: Dead Links/Webpages
All those ________ File Not Found __________.
1) Questions - Ask and answer these questions with your partner.
1. What's this article about?
2. Do you have any of the pet peeves mentioned in the article? Which? Why does it bother you?

3. Can you think of more pet peeves for each category? Use the chart to help:
Traffic/Drivin
g

Work

Social/Friends Products/Food

4. What is your biggest pet peeve? Why does it bother you so much?

Language

Internet/Tech


2) I just hate it when... - Complain with your partner about these places.
-What are some things you can never find at these places? Never do? Never see? Etc...
-What are some of the inconveniences and annoying things that happen at these places?
-Who can you complain to about the problem? Would it help?
(at) the beach
(at) the swimming pool

(on) the street
(at) a restaurant
(at) the supermarket (in) an airplane

(at) home
(at) a movie theater

3) Role-play! Choose one situation with your partner and write a short, interesting, and creative

role-play.
A. The item you ordered on the internet looks nothing like the picture. Call customer service and
complain.
B. You just bought a new car and you've gotten 3 flat tires in 2 days. Go to the car dealership and
complain.
C. You are on a package tour. Your tour guide isn't doing a very good job, he's not taking you to
the places you want to see, and he isn't giving you any free time. Complain to him or his boss.
D. Your husband/wife/boyfriend/girlfriend is so lazy. Complain to a friend and ask for advice.
Useful Language:
I’m afraid I have to make a serious complaint.
There seems to be something wrong with...
I can’t tell you how sorry I am...
I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize...
I wish it never happened
Well, I’m afraid there isn’t much we can do about it.
I'm not satisfied with...

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
4) It's all your fault! The class will be divided into 2 teams, Team A and Team B.
You think the other team is to blame for the problems.
Accuse the other team. Make excuses to defend your team.
Useful language:
Look what you've done!
I'm not to blame because___ / It's not my fault because___
I had nothing to do with that, it was you!

1) Burning mother's birthday cake.
2) Running out of gas in the middle of nowhere.


3) Causing a violent bar fight.