A2 · Elementary · Shopping · 150 words · ~2 min read

🛍️ Returning a Damaged Product

Language focus: Past Simple & Present Perfect · complaints

Before you read

A complaint in English is a careful balance: you have to be clear about the facts and polite about the person. Watch how Omar states the problem in the past simple and how the assistant softens every reply.

Last week, Omar bought an expensive coffee machine from a high street department store. When he opened the box at home, he found a deep crack in the side.

Today he takes it back to the customer service desk. “I bought this five days ago, and it is damaged,” he explains, showing the receipt.

“I’m sorry about that,” the assistant says. “Would you like a refund or a replacement?” Omar asks for a refund.

The assistant sorts out the paperwork and returns his money. “We will send back the faulty machine to the supplier,” she says politely.

Omar has bought several things from that shop before, and he has never had a problem. This machine was the most expensive item on his list.

The refund arrived in his account three days later. He has already ordered a different model, and it is cheaper and better reviewed than the first one.

Key vocabulary (8 words)

department storenoun: A large shop that sells many kinds of goods.
receiptnoun: A paper that proves you have paid for something.
damagedadjective: Harmed or broken.
refundnoun: Money that is returned to you.
replacementnoun: A new item that takes the place of a faulty one.
faultyadjective: Not working correctly; broken.
assistantnoun: A person who helps customers in a shop.
guaranteenoun: A promise that a product will work, or be repaired or replaced.

Phrasal verbs in this story

take back — To take back means to return something to a shop.
send back — To send back means to return something to the sender.
sort out — To sort out means to deal with or organise something.

The grammar in this story

Past simple for the facts of the complaint

“I bought this five days ago, and it is damaged.” “He found a deep crack.” The purchase and the discovery both happened at a stated, finished time, so the past simple is required. Sticking to it makes a complaint sound factual rather than emotional.

Present perfect for the wider record

“Omar has bought several things from that shop before, and he has never had a problem.” No date is given, and none is needed — the point is his experience up to now. This is exactly the contrast the A2 syllabus keeps returning to.

Comparatives and superlatives

“the most expensive item on his list”, “it is cheaper and better reviewed”. Short adjectives add -er and -est (cheap → cheaper → cheapest); longer ones take more and most (more expensive). Good is irregular: better, best.

Would you like…? and I’m sorry about that

The assistant never says what do you want. She says “Would you like a refund or a replacement?” and “I’m sorry about that.” These two fixed phrases do most of the politeness work in British customer service, and they are worth memorising exactly as they are.

Phrases you can reuse today

I bought this five days ago and it is damaged.: Past simple plus ago — clear and factual.
I’d like a refund, please.: Direct but polite. I’d like, not I want.
Here is the receipt.: The word is receipt, with a silent p.
Could I speak to a manager?: The polite escalation if the first answer does not help.

Comprehension quiz

What did Omar buy?
- A coffee machine
- A television
- A sofa
Show answer
A coffee machine
What was the problem?
- It was the wrong colour
- It had a deep crack
- It was too small
Show answer
It had a deep crack
How long ago did he buy it?
- Five days
- Five weeks
- Five months
Show answer
Five days
What does Omar show the assistant?
- His passport
- The receipt
- A photo
Show answer
The receipt
What does Omar ask for?
- A refund
- A discount
- A free coffee
Show answer
A refund
“Take back” means to…
- return to a shop
- keep forever
- give away
Show answer
return to a shop

Now use it yourself

Reading builds recognition; writing your own sentences is what turns it into something you can actually say. Three short tasks:

Write a four-line complaint about something you bought, using the past simple.
Compare two products you own using -er than and more … than.
Have you ever returned something to a shop? What happened?