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
- crucial meeting
- important event
- heavy traffic
- missed opportunity
- overslept alarm
- unexpected delay
- significant impact
- deep regret
- last-minute rush
- 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.