Solving Real-Life Problems in English-Speaking Places.

This highly practical lesson brings together many skills from the course and places you in typical real life situations in an English speaking environment. Through extended role plays and scenario based tasks you practise booking flights and hotel rooms, checking in, asking for information at a tourist office and solving problems at a bank. You also rehearse how to explain symptoms to a doctor or receptionist and how to complain politely when a service is not what you expected. The lesson highlights how to choose an appropriate level of formality and how to ask for clarification when communication breaks down. By the end, you can manage a full interaction in several everyday situations, from the first greeting to agreeing on a solution or next step.

1. Checking your hotel booking by phone.

Imagine you have just arrived in London after a long flight. You go to your hotel, but the receptionist cannot immediately find your booking on the computer. That is a horrible feeling, but it is also a very common real-life problem. In this block we will practise how to check your booking details politely on the phone and how to ask the receptionist to repeat or clarify important information. You are going to hear a short hotel phone call. Listen carefully to the way the guest starts the call, checks the dates, asks about breakfast and confirms the final details. Pay special attention to useful phrases such as, “I would like to check a booking”, “Could you repeat that, please?”, and “Let me just check I understood correctly.” After you listen, you will write a short summary of the call. This is excellent practice, because in real life you often need to repeat information to be sure everything is correct. Ready? Listen to the call, then I will guide you through the task on the screen.

Scenario: a missing booking.

You arrive in London and go to the Riverside Hotel. The receptionist looks worried and says she cannot see your booking on the system. You decide to step to one side and phone the central reservations number from your mobile to check what is happening.

Here is a model phone dialogue:

> Hotel agent: Good afternoon, Riverside Hotel reservations. How can I help you?

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> Guest: Hello, my name is Maria Lopez. I would like to check a booking, please.

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> Hotel agent: Of course. Can I take your surname, please?

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> Guest: Lopez. L O P E Z.

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> Hotel agent: Thank you. Yes, I can see a double room for two nights, from the 15th to the 17th of June.

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> Guest: Sorry, could you repeat the dates, please?

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> Hotel agent: Certainly. Check in on the 15th of June, check out on the 17th.

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> Guest: Right, thank you. And is breakfast included?

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> Hotel agent: Yes, breakfast is included in the price.

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> Guest: Great. Let me just check I understood correctly. It is a double room for two nights, 15th to 17th, with breakfast included?

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> Hotel agent: That is right.

Useful phrases from the call.

• I would like to check a booking, please.
• Could you repeat that, please?
• Let me just check I understood correctly.
• Is breakfast included?

Notice how Maria:

• starts politely with Hello and please;
• spells her name so there is no confusion;
• repeats key details to make sure they are right;
• stays calm and friendly.

In real life, this style helps you get a solution faster and makes the other person more willing to help.

In the activity below you will listen to another short hotel phone call and then write a short summary of the key information.

Practice & Feedback

Listen to the hotel phone call carefully. Then write 3–5 full sentences in English to say what you understood. Imagine you are explaining the situation to a friend who is waiting in the hotel lobby.

In your summary, try to include:

• the guest’s name;
• the dates of the booking;
• the type of room;
• whether breakfast is included;
• any problem and the solution the hotel offers.

Use polite checking phrases from the examples on the screen, such as Let me just check I understood correctly or So, it is…. You do not need to write the whole dialogue, only a clear summary of the most important points.

2. Asking for information at a tourist office.

Now let us move to the next situation in your trip. The booking is fine, you have your room, and the next morning you go to the tourist information office to plan your day. You want to visit a museum, take a bus tour and maybe see a show in the evening, but you are not sure about times, prices or how to get there. In this type of situation, you need two main skills. First, you need to ask clear, polite questions like, “Could you tell me what time the museum closes?” or “Is there a bus from the city centre?”. Second, you need to ask for clarification when you do not understand the answer, for example, “Sorry, what does off-peak mean?” or “So the last bus is at nine o’clock, is that right?”. On the screen you will see a short dialogue at a tourist office and some useful question patterns. Then, in the activity, you will read a short information message and write your own questions, just as you would in real life when you are planning a day out in an English-speaking city.

Scenario: at the London Tourist Information Centre.

You walk into the tourist office near Trafalgar Square. You want information about the River Thames boat tour and a famous museum.

Here is a model conversation:

> Tourist officer: Good morning. How can I help you?

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> You: Good morning. Could you tell me about the river boat tours, please?

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> Tourist officer: Of course. Boats leave every 30 minutes from Westminster Pier.

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> You: What time does the last boat leave?

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> Tourist officer: The last boat is at 7.30 p.m.

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> You: Right, thank you. And is there a discount for students?

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> Tourist officer: Yes, there is a 20 percent discount with a student card.

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> You: Great. Sorry, what does "return ticket" mean?

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> Tourist officer: It means you go there and come back on the same ticket.

Useful question patterns.

• Could you tell me what time the museum closes?
• Do you know if there is a bus from the city centre?
• Is there a discount for students?
• How much is a return ticket?
• Where can I buy tickets in advance?

Clarification questions.

When you do not understand, use soft, polite language:

• Sorry, what does _X_ mean?
• Sorry, could you say that again, please?
• Do you mean that the last bus is at nine?
• Let me just check I understood correctly…

These phrases are very flexible. You can use them in tourist offices, at stations, in shops and even on the phone.

In the activity, you will read an information note from a tourist office about a museum and a bus tour. Your job is to write your own polite questions to get more details, using the patterns you see here.

Practice & Feedback

Read the short information note from the tourist office carefully. Then imagine you are standing at the information desk and you want to ask for more details. Your task is to write 4–6 polite questions in full sentences.

Use the patterns from the screen, for example: Could you tell me…?, Do you know if…?, Is there…?, How much is…?. You can also add one clarification question, like Sorry, what does “off-peak” mean? if something is not clear in the note.

Do not just copy the sentences from the example. Adapt them to the new situation. Think about what you personally would want to know before planning your day. This will help you sound more natural and make the practice more useful for real travel.

3. Explaining symptoms at a clinic.

So, you have enjoyed a busy day of sightseeing, but unfortunately the next morning you wake up feeling unwell. Perhaps you have a strong headache, stomach pain or a high temperature. In an English-speaking country, this can feel stressful because you need to explain your symptoms clearly in another language. In this block we will focus on talking to a receptionist or nurse at a clinic or surgery. You usually need to say what the problem is, how long you have had it, and how serious it feels. Useful patterns include, “I need to see a doctor”, “I have a pain in my chest”, “I have had this pain since yesterday”, and “It is difficult to breathe when I walk”. On the screen you will see common health vocabulary and a short model conversation. Then you will transform some basic notes into a natural explanation you could really use in a clinic. This will help you feel more confident about seeing a doctor in English if you ever need to.

Scenario: calling a medical clinic.

The day after your museum visit, you wake up with strong stomach pain and a slight fever. You decide to phone the local walk-in clinic.

> Receptionist: Good morning, Riverside Clinic. How can I help you?

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> You: Good morning. I need to see a doctor. I have a bad pain in my stomach.

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> Receptionist: I am sorry to hear that. How long have you had the pain?

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> You: Since last night. I also feel a bit sick and I have a temperature.

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> Receptionist: Do you have any other symptoms?

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> You: Yes, I feel very tired and I do not want to eat.

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> Receptionist: All right. We can give you an appointment at 11.30.

Useful health vocabulary.

• I have a pain in my chest / back / stomach / head.
• I feel sick. (I want to vomit.)
• I have a temperature. (fever)
• I feel dizzy. (the room is moving)
• It hurts when I breathe / walk / eat.
• I have had this pain since yesterday / for two days.

Structuring your explanation.

When you speak to a receptionist or doctor, this order is helpful:

1. Reason for call: I need to see a doctor.
2. Main symptom: I have a pain in my chest.
3. Time: I have had it since yesterday.
4. Extra details: It is difficult to breathe when I walk.
5. Urgency: I am worried because…

This makes your message clear and helps the clinic decide how quickly you need to see someone.

In the activity, you will see some short notes, like information on a form. Your job is to turn those notes into a short, natural-sounding explanation you could say in real life.

Practice & Feedback

Look at the notes from a clinic form in the box below. Imagine you are standing at the reception desk and the receptionist asks: “How can I help you?” Your task is to write 4–6 full sentences to explain the problem clearly.

Follow the structure from the screen:

1. Say that you need to see a doctor.
2. Describe the main symptoms.
3. Say how long you have had them.
4. Add one or two extra details about when it hurts or how you feel.

Try to use some of the health phrases from the lesson, such as I have a pain in…, I feel dizzy, I have had this problem since…. Imagine this is a real situation and you want the receptionist to understand you easily.

4. Sorting out a card problem at the bank.

Later that day, after you visit the clinic, you go to a cash machine to take out some money. You put your card in, enter your PIN, and suddenly a message appears on the screen: "Card not accepted". Maybe your bank has blocked the card for security reasons, or there is some other issue. This is another very common real-life problem when you travel. In this block we will practise how to explain a simple banking problem and ask for help, either face to face or in a chat-style conversation with your bank. We will also look at polite ways to check what you need to do, such as, "Could you check this charge, please?", "Is there a problem with my account?" and "Do you mean that I have to go to my branch?". On the screen you will see a short example of a conversation with bank support. Then you will write your own short chat as if you were contacting your bank from abroad. This will help you feel more confident about money issues in English-speaking places.

Scenario: your card is not working.

You are in central London. Your card does not work in the cash machine, so you open your banking app and start a live chat with support.

Here is a short example:

> You: Hello. I am in London and my card is not working in the machine.

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> Bank: Good afternoon. I am sorry to hear that. Could you confirm your full name and the last four digits of your card, please?

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> You: My name is Daniel Costa. The last four digits are 4 5 6 8.

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> Bank: Thank you. I can see that your card was blocked for security reasons after an unusual transaction.

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> You: Could you explain that again, please? I do not understand.

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> Bank: There was a large payment request from another country. For your safety, we stopped the card.

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> You: I see. Do you mean that I cannot use my card at all now?

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> Bank: At the moment, yes. But we can unblock it if you confirm that the payment is not yours.

Useful banking phrases.

• My card is not working in the machine.
• Could you check this charge, please?
• Is there a problem with my account?
• I am abroad at the moment.
• Do you mean that I need to go to my branch?
• Thank you for your help today.

In a chat, your messages are usually short and clear, but you still need to be polite.

In the activity, you will imagine you are writing a chat message to your bank from an English-speaking country. You will write several short messages, as if it is a real conversation.

Practice & Feedback

Imagine you are in an English-speaking country and your debit card is not working in the cash machine. You open your bank’s live chat. Your task is to write a short chat-style conversation from your side.

Write 5–8 short messages, each on a new line, beginning with "You:". For example: You: Hello, my card is not working in the machine.

In your chat, try to:

• say clearly what the problem is and where you are;
• answer simple security questions (for example, your name);
• ask at least one polite question to check what you need to do;
• use one clarification phrase, such as Could you explain that again, please? or Do you mean that…?;
• close the chat politely with a thank you.

Do not write the bank’s messages; I will imagine and respond to them for you.

5. Making a polite complaint at your hotel.

We have solved the card problem, you feel a bit better after seeing the doctor, and you are ready to sleep. However, when you go back to your hotel room, there is a new problem. Perhaps your room is very noisy, the shower does not work properly, or the room is not as clean as you expected. Complaining in another language can feel uncomfortable, but it is important to know how to do it **politely and effectively**. In this block we will look at a simple structure for making a complaint at a hotel reception and asking for a solution. You will see how to start with a calm greeting, explain the problem, say how it affects you, and then make a reasonable request such as, "Could you change my room, please?" or "Is it possible to get a partial refund?". On the screen there is a model complaint conversation. In the activity, you will read a short description of a hotel problem and then write your own polite complaint, just as you would in real life.

Scenario: a noisy room.

It is your second night in the hotel. You are tired and you need sleep, but there is a lot of noise from the bar downstairs until 1.30 a.m. The next morning you go to reception.

> You: Good morning. I am not very happy with my room.

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> Receptionist: I am sorry to hear that. What seems to be the problem?

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> You: The room is very noisy at night. I could not sleep because of the music from the bar.

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> Receptionist: I understand. That must be frustrating.

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> You: Yes. I would like to make a complaint. Is it possible to change to a quieter room?

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> Receptionist: Let me check. We can move you to a room on the fifth floor, away from the bar.

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> You: Thank you. That would be great.

Useful complaint phrases.

• I am not happy with this service / room / situation.
• I would like to make a complaint.
• The main problem is that…
• It is difficult for me because…
• Could you change my room, please?
• Is there anything you can do about it?
• Thank you for your help today.

A simple structure for complaints.

1. Greeting and soft start: Good morning. I am afraid there is a problem with my room.
2. Clear description: The shower does not work and there is no hot water.
3. Effect on you: I could not have a shower this morning before my meeting.
4. Polite request: Could you send someone to fix it, or change my room, please?
5. Polite close: Thank you for your help.

This structure keeps your complaint polite but firm. You are clear about the problem and what you want, but you still sound respectful.

In the activity, you will read another small hotel problem and then write your own complaint using this structure.

Practice & Feedback

Read the short hotel problem carefully. Then imagine you are standing at the reception desk. Your job is to write a short spoken complaint in the form of a short paragraph (about 5–7 sentences).

Follow the structure from the screen:

1. Start with a polite greeting and a soft introduction to the problem.
2. Explain exactly what is wrong.
3. Say how it affects you (for example, you cannot sleep or you will be late).
4. Make a clear, polite request for a solution.
5. Close the conversation politely.

Try to use some of the useful phrases, such as I would like to make a complaint, The main problem is that…, Could you… please?, and Thank you for your help today. Imagine this is a real conversation and you want the receptionist to really listen to you.

6. Putting it all together in real-life role plays.

You have now practised several different problem situations on your trip: checking a hotel booking, asking for tourist information, explaining symptoms at a clinic, sorting out a card problem at the bank and making a polite complaint at your hotel. In this final block, you will bring everything together in a small integrated task. The aim is for you to manage a complete interaction in English, from the first greeting to agreeing on a solution or next step. This is exactly what you may need to do when you travel, study or live in an English-speaking environment. On the screen you will see a quick checklist of useful strategies and some possible scenarios. You will choose **one or two scenarios** and write out a full mini-dialogue or extended message, using the phrases and patterns from the lesson. Try to show that you can describe the problem clearly, stay polite, ask for clarification and move towards a solution. Do not worry about being perfect; focus on being clear, natural and confident. When you finish, I will give you feedback and, if appropriate, reply in character as the person you are speaking to.

Your mini role-play.

You are at the end of a busy but challenging trip in an English-speaking city. You now have experience with hotels, tourist offices, clinics, banks and complaints.

Strategy checklist.

Before you write, read this quick checklist:

• Stay polite: start with Good morning / afternoon and use please and thank you.
• Explain the problem clearly: The main problem is that…
• Give key details: dates, times, places, amounts.
• Say how it affects you: It is difficult for me because…
• Ask for a solution: Could you…? Is it possible to…?
• Ask for clarification if you do not understand: Could you explain that again, please?
• Check understanding: Let me just check I understood correctly…
• Close politely: Thank you for your help today.

Choose your scenario(s).

Pick one or two of these situations:

1. Travel and hotel: You arrive at a hotel late at night and they cannot find your booking. You need a room and you want to check what happened.
2. Health: You are abroad and you suddenly feel very unwell. You phone the clinic and have to explain your symptoms and ask for an urgent appointment.
3. Bank: Your card is blocked and you have an important payment to make today. You contact your bank to solve the problem.
4. Complaint: A service you paid for was not what you expected (for example, a tour was cancelled without notice or your room was very dirty). You make a polite complaint and ask for a refund or another solution.

You do not need to write all four. Focus on one or two and make them detailed and realistic.

In the activity, you will choose your scenario(s) and write your own extended interaction.

Practice & Feedback

Choose one or two of the scenarios above. Then write either:

• a mini-dialogue with 8–14 lines (for example, You: and Receptionist: / Bank: / Doctor:), or
• a longer message of 10–14 sentences, if the situation is more like an email or a phone script.

Make sure you:

• start and finish politely;
• explain the problem clearly and give specific details (names, dates, places, times, amounts) where possible;
• say how the problem affects you;
• make a clear request for a solution;
• use at least one clarification phrase (for example, Sorry, I did not catch that or Do you mean that…?), especially in a dialogue.

Try to recycle some of the useful phrases from earlier blocks, such as I would like to make a complaint, Could you check this charge, please?, I need to see a doctor, or Let me just check I understood correctly. Imagine this is a real situation and you really want a good result.