verb phrase · neutral
file a complaint
/faɪl ə kəmˈpleɪnt/file a com·PLAINt
Band 7+speakingtask2
to submit an official complaint about a product or service
Examples
“If the item is faulty you should file a complaint with the retailer.”
“Many customers filed complaints after the delayed deliveries.”
“She filed a complaint with the consumer protection agency.”
Band 8 sentence
“When the product repeatedly failed to work, she filed a complaint with the manufacturer and requested a refund.”
Collocations
- file a complaint against
- file a complaint with
- file a formal complaint
Word family
file verbcomplaint nounmake a complaint verb phrase
Common mistakes
file complaint→file a complaint
make complaint→make a complaint
Say it for a higher band
5complain→6make a complaint→7+file a complaint
Synonyms
make a complaint
lodge a complaint
Easily confused
make a complaint
“After repeated problems she decided to make a complaint to the manager.”
Related words
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In Shopping & Money
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