Writing Clear Customer Support Messages
CEFR: B2
Read/Listen first
Last week a frustrated customer wrote to our support team because his order hadn’t arrived on time. I replied quickly and explained that we have already investigated the delay and have shipped a replacement. I was careful to sound calm and polite, although I felt a bit stressed. I used short paragraphs so he could follow each step, and I repeated the tracking link to make sure he wouldn’t miss it. I also summarised the problem in one clear sentence, so he could see that I had really understood his situation. If I had written a very long email full of internal jargon, he would have been even more confused. Before sending my message, I read it aloud to check the tone and removed some strong words that might have sounded aggressive. In my final line I wrote that he could contact me again if the package still hasn’t arrived by Friday, and I thanked him sincerely for his patience and trust.⚡ Learning goals
- Can write a short support email that clearly explains a delivery problem.
- Can organise a message into logical steps so the customer can follow the solution.
- Can use polite, empathetic language to keep a frustrated customer calm.
✨ Key language
- We have already investigated the issue “We have already investigated the delay with our carrier.”
- Thank you for your patience “Thank you for your patience while we fix this.”
- If you have any other questions “If you have any other questions, you can contact me again.”
⚙️ Rules & Grammar — 4 Structures
1️⃣ Present perfect for recent actions with present results
Rule: Use have/has + past participle to show that an action is finished but still important now.Examples: We have already investigated the delay.; We have shipped a replacement to your address.; I have checked your order in our system.
Common pitfall + fix: Learners often say “we already investigate” without have. — Add have/has before the past participle: “we have already investigated”.
Choose the best sentence for a support email:
Tip: Use have/has + past participle to form the present perfect.
Fill with the best answer: We have already ______ your case carefully.
Tip: Choose a past participle that collocates with case, like reviewed.
2️⃣ Past simple for completed events in a support story
Rule: Use the past simple to describe completed actions in the past with a clear time reference.Examples: Last week a frustrated customer wrote to our support team.; I replied quickly and explained the situation.; He felt calmer after he read my message.
Common pitfall + fix: Learners mix past simple and present perfect randomly. — Use past simple when the time is finished (last week, yesterday).
Which sentence correctly uses the past simple?
Tip: Past time expressions like last week usually go with the past simple.
Fill with the best answer: I ______ quickly and explained the situation.
Tip: Use the regular past form of reply to tell a finished action.
3️⃣ Third conditional to imagine different past results
Rule: Use if + past perfect and would have + past participle to talk about unreal past situations and results.Examples: If I had written a very long email, he would have been more confused.; If we had ignored his message, he would have felt ignored.; If she had not checked the tone, the email might have sounded aggressive.
Common pitfall + fix: Learners say “if I would write” for the past. — Use had + past participle in the if-clause instead.
Choose the correct third conditional sentence:
Tip: In the if-part, use had + past participle, not would.
Fill with the best answer: If I ______ ______ a very long email, he would have been more confused.
Tip: Write two words: had + past participle of write.
4️⃣ Modals could and might to keep a polite tone
Rule: Use could and might to soften your message and sound more polite or careful in support emails.Examples: I used short paragraphs so he could follow each step.; I removed some strong words that might have sounded aggressive.; You could contact me again if the package still has not arrived.
Common pitfall + fix: Learners overuse will or must and sound too direct. — Replace them with could or might to sound less aggressive.
Which sentence uses a polite modal verb?
Tip: Could and might usually sound softer and more customer friendly.
Fill with the best answer: I removed some strong words that ______ have sounded aggressive.
Tip: Use the modal that shows a possible negative effect, not a certainty.
✍️ Vocabulary
frustrated customer
Meaning: A customer who feels annoyed because the problem is not solved yet.Synonyms: annoyed customer, upset customer
Chunk/Idiom: deal with a frustrated customer
Example: The agent stayed calm when the frustrated customer wrote a long email.
Morphology: adjective + noun; related noun: frustration.
Self-practice: Write two sentences about a frustrated customer you had to help.
support team
Meaning: The group of people who help customers with questions and problems.Synonyms: help desk, customer service
Chunk/Idiom: contact the support team
Example: Our support team replied within one hour with a simple explanation.
Morphology: noun phrase; main noun: team; related verb: support.
Self-practice: Describe what a good support team does in three short points.
tracking link
Meaning: A web link that shows where a customer’s order is.Synonyms: tracking URL, tracking page
Chunk/Idiom: send the tracking link
Example: Please click the tracking link to see your updated delivery status.
Morphology: noun phrase; related verb: track; related noun: tracker.
Self-practice: Write one sentence asking a customer to check a tracking link.
replacement
Meaning: A new product sent when the first one is lost or broken.Synonyms: substitute item, new shipment
Chunk/Idiom: ship a free replacement
Example: We have shipped a free replacement to the address in your account.
Morphology: noun; related verb: replace; related adjective: replaceable.
Self-practice: Write a polite sentence offering a replacement to a customer.
clear sentence
Meaning: A sentence that is easy to read and understand quickly.Synonyms: simple sentence, easy sentence
Chunk/Idiom: write one clear sentence
Example: Start your message with one clear sentence that sums up the issue.
Morphology: adjective + noun; related adjective: clear; related adverb: clearly.
Self-practice: Rewrite one long sentence from your email as a clear sentence.
tone
Meaning: The feeling or attitude that your words give to the reader.Synonyms: style of writing, attitude
Chunk/Idiom: check the tone
Example: Read your message aloud to check that the tone sounds polite.
Morphology: noun; related adjective: tonal; related phrase: polite tone.
Self-practice: Record yourself reading a message and listen to the tone.
☁️ Examples (+ audio)
We have already investigated your case and prepared a simple explanation.
I replied quickly and thanked the customer for their patience and trust.
If I had written a shorter email, the customer might have understood faster.
Always check the tone of your message before you click send.
✏️ Exercises
Grammar
Choose the best support sentence using the present perfect:
Tip: Present perfect needs have/has plus a past participle.
Which sentence tells a finished action in the past?
Tip: Combine a finished time expression with the past simple.
Fill with the best answer:
The package still ______ ______ at the customer’s address.Tip: Use a negative present perfect form to show the result now.
Fill with the best answer:
If I ______ ______ a shorter message, he would have understood faster.Tip: Remember the third conditional pattern: had + past participle.
Vocabulary & Comprehension
Which phrase means a URL that shows where an order is?
Tip: Think about which phrase you click to see delivery status.
What word describes how polite or aggressive a message sounds?
Tip: In the mini text, you read the message aloud to check this.
Fill with the best answer:
The customer was very ______ because his order had not arrived.Tip: Use the adjective that collocates with customer in the mini text.
Fill with the best answer:
Our ______ ______ replied quickly and explained the delay.Tip: Use the two-word phrase for the group that answers customers.
✅ Guided practice
Mini-dialogue:
A: Thank you for your email. We have already investigated the delay and shipped a replacement.B: Thank you for the clear message. I appreciate the tracking link and your polite tone.
A: Please contact our support team again if the package still has not arrived by Friday.
Why this matters:
Clear support messages save time for you and the customer. A polite tone reduces frustration and builds trust. Good structure helps the customer follow each step of your solution.Verb & Adjective Pack:
investigate an issue — We have already investigated the issue with your delivery.ship a replacement — We will ship a free replacement today.
frustrated customer — The frustrated customer calmed down after reading the email.
polite tone — Check that your email has a polite tone before sending.
Try & compare:
Fill with the best answer: Please click the ______ ______ to see your updated status.
Tip: Use the two-word phrase that shows where an order is.
Self-correction: Fix the sentence: we already investigate your case and we ship replacement.
Tip: Use present perfect for actions that are done but still important now.
Practice aloud: Listen, repeat, then type the sentence.
thank you for your patience while we fix this issue.
Tip: Notice the polite phrase that you can reuse in many emails.