Food & Dining — Part 4
The Celpip Plus team
Written and reviewed against the official CELPIP scoring criteria
What you'll learn: the formal register phrases and connectors used in restaurant complaint letters and essays about food, nutrition, and eating habits.
Why formal food phrases matter
Writing Task 1 sometimes asks for a formal email complaining about a poor restaurant experience or thanking a caterer for an event. Writing Task 2 essays occasionally raise nutrition or food-policy questions — should schools ban junk food, should restaurants post calorie counts. Both call for the same kind of formal connective phrases used elsewhere in the kit, adapted to food contexts specifically.
Complaint letter structure
A formal restaurant complaint typically states what happened, explains the impact, and requests a specific resolution — a refund, an apology, or a policy change. The phrases below map onto that structure.
Formal phrases and connectors
| Collocation | Meaning | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|
| I am writing to express my dissatisfaction | formal opening for a complaint | I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with my recent dining experience. |
| fell short of expectations | did not meet the expected standard | The meal fell short of expectations given the restaurant's reputation. |
| under no circumstances | emphasizes something should never happen | Under no circumstances should undercooked food be served to customers. |
| I would like to bring to your attention | formal way to raise an issue | I would like to bring to your attention an error in our bill. |
| a reasonable resolution | a fair way to settle a complaint | I am hoping for a reasonable resolution to this matter. |
| growing concern | an increasing worry about something | There is growing concern about sugar content in children's meals. |
| plays a significant role in | has a major influence on something | Diet plays a significant role in overall health. |
| it is widely acknowledged that | states a commonly accepted fact | It is widely acknowledged that fresh produce is healthier than processed food. |
| a compelling case | a strong, convincing argument | Nutritionists have made a compelling case for reducing added sugar. |
| in response to | as a reaction to something | In response to customer feedback, the menu was revised. |
| a step in the right direction | an improvement, though perhaps not complete | Calorie labeling is a step in the right direction for public health. |
| I hope this matter will be addressed promptly | polite formal closing for a complaint | I hope this matter will be addressed promptly. |
Worked example — CELPIP Writing Task 1
Prompt: Write a complaint email about a restaurant experience.
"Dear Manager, I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with my visit to your restaurant last Friday evening. Despite the positive reviews, the meal fell short of expectations — the dish arrived cold, and it took nearly forty-five minutes to be served. I would like to bring to your attention that our server also failed to mention a mandatory service charge added to the bill. Under no circumstances should customers be surprised by hidden fees. I understand mistakes happen, and I am hoping for a reasonable resolution, whether that is a partial refund or a credit toward a future visit. I trust that, in response to this feedback, staff training will improve. I hope this matter will be addressed promptly. Sincerely, a disappointed customer."
Common mistakes
- Opening with "I'm annoyed because" instead of the formal I am writing to express my dissatisfaction.
- Using "wasn't as good as expected" rather than the more polished fell short of expectations.
- Writing "never should" instead of the more formal under no circumstances should.
- Confusing a reasonable resolution with "a good solution," which is fine but less precise in a formal complaint.
- Ending abruptly without a closing phrase like I hope this matter will be addressed promptly.
Recap
These twelve formal phrases — I am writing to express my dissatisfaction, fell short of expectations, under no circumstances, I would like to bring to your attention, a reasonable resolution, growing concern, plays a significant role in, it is widely acknowledged that, a compelling case, in response to, a step in the right direction, and I hope this matter will be addressed promptly — equip you for formal food-related writing tasks. Part 5 closes the topic with casual spoken chunks for talking about food naturally in CELPIP Speaking.