IELTS Speaking 2025 Part 2&3: Describe a time you missed or were late for a meeting.

IELTS Speaking Part 2 Cue Card

Describe a time you missed or were late for a meeting.

You should say:

• What the meeting was about

• When it happened

• Why you missed/were late
  And explain what happened afterwards and how you felt

Useful Speaking Expressions

• To be honest… (Thành thật mà nói…)

• It totally slipped my mind… (Tôi quên béng mất…)

• I was this close to panicking… (Tôi suýt nữa hoảng loạn…)

• Long story short… (Nói ngắn gọn là…)

• I was kicking myself… (Tôi tự trách mình dữ lắm…)

• Lesson learned… (Bài học rút ra…)

Collocations / Ideas

• Back-to-back tasks (các việc nối tiếp nhau)

• Traffic gridlock (kẹt xe nghiêm trọng)

• Calendar glitch (lỗi lịch/nhắc nhở)

• Send a quick apology text (nhắn tin xin lỗi nhanh)

• Make amends with extra prep (chuộc lỗi bằng việc chuẩn bị thêm)

• Reschedule on the spot (dời lịch ngay tại chỗ)

• Punctuality policy (chính sách đúng giờ)

Sample Answer

To be honest, the worst time I showed up late was a project kick‑off meeting last November. I was supposed to present the whole timeline, so me being late was the last thing anyone needed. The night before, I was buried in back-to-back tasks, turned my phone on “Do Not Disturb” for a Zoom class, and—boom—it totally slipped my mind that my calendar reminder wouldn’t ping in the morning. Smart move, right?

I left home cutting it way too close and ran straight into classic traffic gridlock on Điện Biên Phủ Street. I was inching forward on the back of a Grab bike thinking, “Great, this is how my reputation dies.” I was this close to panicking, but I forced myself to breathe, opened my laptop in the ride, tethered my phone, and rehearsed my slides like a mad person. At the same time, I sent a quick apology text to my team lead: “My bad. I’m stuck. I’ll jump straight in when I arrive.”

I burst into the room about fifteen minutes late. People were already discussing Plan B without me. Long story short, I ditched the small talk, plugged in, and delivered the key points in five minutes flat. After the meeting, I pulled my boss aside, explained the calendar glitch and the traffic nightmare, and promised I’d make amends with extra prep for our next session. He wasn’t thrilled, but at least I didn’t waste more time blaming the universe.

We rescheduled on the spot a quick follow‑up to cover what we’d rushed through. That afternoon I emailed the slide deck plus detailed notes and even recorded a short Loom video for anyone who couldn’t make the second meeting. Honestly, I was kicking myself the whole day—being late when you’re the presenter is peak embarrassment. But the team appreciated that I owned the screw‑up and fixed it fast.

Lesson learned: never rely on a single reminder. Now I set two alarms, slap a sticky note on my laptop, and leave earlier if the meeting matters. In the end, the project went smoothly and nobody brings it up anymore—except me, in my head, as a reminder to never let a tiny setting derail a whole team again.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 Questions

1. Are you a punctual person? Do you think it is important to be on time? Why?

2. Do you try to avoid being late? How?

3. Why are people often late for meetings or appointments?

4. Why do people miss important events?

5. Are people in your country often late for meetings?

1. Are you a punctual person? Is being on time important?

Expressions:

• Honestly, I try my best… (Thật ra, tôi cố gắng hết sức…)

• Being on time shows respect… (Đúng giờ thể hiện sự tôn trọng…)

• It sets the tone… (Nó tạo “tông” cho buổi họp…)

Collocations/Ideas:

• Professional image (hình ảnh chuyên nghiệp)

• First impressions matter (ấn tượng đầu tiên quan trọng)

• Trust-building habit (thói quen tạo dựng niềm tin)

Sample Answer:
Honestly, I try my best to be on time, even if I slip up once in a while. Being on time shows respect for other people’s schedules and first impressions matter a lot in work settings. It also becomes a trust-building habit—people know they can rely on you. It sets the tone for the meeting; if you’re late, everyone’s energy dips. So yeah, punctuality is part of my professional image.

2. Do you try to avoid being late? How?

Expressions:

• I build in buffer time… (Tôi chừa thời gian đệm…)

• Double alarms save my life… (Hai cái báo thức cứu tôi…)

• If all else fails… (Nếu mọi thứ trục trặc…)

Collocations/Ideas:

• Time blocking (chặn thời gian trên lịch)

• Route check on Google Maps (kiểm tra đường đi trên Google Maps)

• Backup reminder (nhắc nhở dự phòng)

Sample Answer:
I build in buffer time for travel and set double alarms—seriously, double alarms save my life. I use time blocking so tasks don’t spill into each other. Before leaving, I do a quick route check on Google Maps to dodge traffic surprises. If all else fails, I text ahead so people aren’t left guessing. Little systems prevent big headaches.

3. Why are people often late for meetings or appointments?

Expressions:

• Let’s be real… (Nói thật nhé…)

• Out of sight, out of mind… (Khuất mắt là quên ngay…)

• They underestimate the commute… (Họ đánh giá thấp thời gian di chuyển…)

Collocations/Ideas:

• Poor time estimation (ước lượng thời gian kém)

• Last-minute crises (khủng hoảng phút chót)

• Notification overload (quá tải thông báo)

Sample Answer:
Let’s be real, most people are late because of poor time estimation—they think ten minutes is enough for a thirty‑minute ride. Then you’ve got last-minute crises: kids, bosses, traffic. With notification overload, reminders get buried. And out of sight, out of mind—if it’s not written down, it vanishes. Plus, many underestimate the commute in big cities.

4. Why do people miss important events?

Expressions:

• Sometimes life just derails you… (Đôi khi cuộc sống làm bạn trệch đường…)

• They mix up dates… (Họ lẫn lộn ngày giờ…)

• Emotional avoidance kicks in… (Sự né tránh cảm xúc trỗi dậy…)

Collocations/Ideas:

• Calendar clashes (trùng lịch)

• Information mix-up (rối thông tin)

• Anxiety about facing people (lo lắng khi phải đối mặt với mọi người)

Sample Answer:
Sometimes life just derails you—emergencies, illness, sudden work drama. Others simply mix up dates because of calendar clashes or an information mix-up. There’s also emotional avoidance—some folks dread reunions or tough conversations, so they “forget.” Tech fails too—dead phones, no signal. Missing happens; what matters is how you fix it afterward.

5. Are people in your country often late for meetings?

Expressions:

• Culturally, we’re a bit flexible with time… (Văn hóa mình khá linh hoạt giờ giấc…)

• We call it “giờ cao su”… (Bọn mình gọi là “giờ cao su”…)

• It’s improving though… (Nhưng đang cải thiện rồi…)

Collocations/Ideas:

• Rubber time mentality (tư duy “giờ cao su”)

• Corporate punctuality norm (chuẩn mực đúng giờ trong công ty)

• Traffic excuse (lý do kẹt xe)

Sample Answer:
Culturally, we’re a bit flexible with time—we call it “giờ cao su” for a reason. In casual meetups, rolling in twenty minutes late is normal. In business settings, especially multinational firms, corporate punctuality norms are stricter. People still pull the traffic excuse, but bosses buy it less now. It’s improving though, especially with younger professionals who value efficiency.