IELTS Speaking Part 2: Describe a time when you missed or were late for an important meeting/event

Describe a time when you missed or were late for an important meeting/event
You should say:
When it happened
What happened
Why you missed/were late for it
And explain how you felt about this experience

Useful Vocabulary and Expressions

1. When it happened:

• Vocabulary: last month, recently, a few years ago, during, on
• Expressions:
  • “This happened when…”
  • “It was during…”
  • “I missed the event last…”

2. What happened:

• Vocabulary: missed, delayed, postponed, arrived late, rescheduled
• Expressions:
  • “I was supposed to attend…”
  • “I ended up missing…”
  • “I arrived late because…”

3. Why you missed/were late for it:

• Vocabulary: traffic, overslept, delayed, forgot, confusion
• Expressions:
  • “I missed it because…”
  • “The reason for my delay was…”
  • “I was late due to…”

4. How you felt about this experience:

• Vocabulary: frustrated, disappointed, embarrassed, regretful, stressed
• Expressions:
  • “I felt very…”
  • “The experience made me feel…”
  • “Looking back, I…”

Collocations

1. crucial meeting
2. important event
3. heavy traffic
4. missed opportunity
5. overslept alarm
6. unexpected delay
7. significant impact
8. deep regret
9. last-minute rush
10. time management

Sample Answer

This happened last month when I missed an important job interview. I was scheduled to have the interview at 10 AM, but I ended up missing it entirely.

I was supposed to attend this crucial meeting at a company’s headquarters downtown. However, I missed it because I overslept. The night before, I had stayed up late preparing for the interview, and despite setting multiple alarms, I slept through all of them. By the time I woke up, it was already past the scheduled time, and there was no way I could make it to the interview on time.

The reason for my delay was a combination of poor time management and exhaustion. I had underestimated how tired I would be and failed to give myself enough rest. Additionally, heavy traffic that morning would have likely made me late even if I had woken up on time.

I felt very frustrated and disappointed with myself. Missing the interview felt like a missed opportunity that could have had a significant impact on my career. The experience made me feel deeply regretful and embarrassed. Looking back, I realized the importance of better time management and ensuring I get adequate rest before important events. This experience taught me a valuable lesson about planning and preparation, and it’s something I am keen to avoid repeating in the future.