Describe a time you were late: cue card and sample answer

Cue card

Describe a time when you were late for something important.

You should say:

what you were late for
why you were late
what happened as a result

and explain how you felt about being late.

You have one minute to prepare and should speak for one to two minutes.

Try it before you read the sample. Answer this card out loud with our AI examiner and get an estimated band.

Practise with the AI examiner

Sample answer

About 241 words, or roughly two minutes of speaking.

I'd like to describe the morning I was late for a job interview, which happened about two years ago. It was for a junior position at an accounting firm, and it was my first proper interview after graduating, so I'd been preparing for days.

The irony is that I'd planned everything carefully. I'd ironed my shirt the night before and left the house with what I thought was plenty of time. What I hadn't done was check the traffic. There had been an accident on the main road into the city centre, and my bus sat in the same spot for nearly forty minutes. In the end I got off and ran the last kilometre, which is not ideal when you're wearing a suit in the middle of summer.

I arrived about twenty minutes late, out of breath and rather sweaty. I had phoned the receptionist from the bus to let them know, and I think that saved me. The interviewer was understanding and simply moved me to a later slot. Even so, I was so flustered that I gave a poor answer to the very first question.

As for how I felt, I was mostly embarrassed and angry with myself, because being punctual is the easiest way to make a good first impression. I didn't get that job, but I did learn from it. Now I always aim to arrive half an hour early and wait in a café nearby.

Why this works: it covers every point on the card in order, gives specific details and a short story rather than general statements, and ends by explaining the feeling or reason, which the last line of the card asks for.

Useful vocabulary

plenty of time: more than enough time
out of breath: breathing fast and with difficulty after exercise
let someone know: to tell someone about something
flustered: nervous and confused, especially because you are in a hurry
punctual: arriving or doing something at the right time, not late
make a good first impression: to make people think well of you when they first meet you

Rounding-off question

After you finish, the examiner may ask one short question, such as:

Are you often late?

Part 3 questions: Punctuality and time

In Part 3, the examiner asks more abstract questions linked to the cue card topic. Give an opinion, explain why, and add an example.

Why are some people always late?

I think most of them are simply too optimistic about time. They assume the journey will take twenty minutes because it did once, on a perfect day, and they leave no room for delays. Others try to fit in one more task before leaving the house. In a few cases, I suspect people don't see lateness as rude, perhaps because it was normal in their family.

Should employees be punished for arriving late to work?

It depends on the job and how often it happens. If a nurse or a train driver is late, other people are directly affected, so there have to be consequences. For office workers who can make up the time, I think flexibility works better than punishment. Repeated lateness without a reason should be dealt with, though, because it's unfair on colleagues.

Now say it out loud

Reading a good answer helps, but speaking is what improves your band. This set includes this cue card, Part 1 questions on being on time and public holidays, and a Part 3 discussion.

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This sample answer was written by TestWise Prep to show language that scores well. It is not official IELTS material. Use it for ideas, not to memorise, because examiners mark rehearsed answers down.