🟨 Cue Card
Describe a time when you were late for an appointment.
You should say:
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When it happened
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Where you were supposed to go
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Why you were late
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And explain how you felt about it
✅ Sample Answer:
Honestly speaking, I usually try my best to be punctual, but there was one time when I ended up being late for an important appointment — and I still remember it quite clearly. It happened around six months ago when I had a job interview scheduled in Chandigarh at 10 AM.
I had prepared everything the night before — my documents, outfit, and even my route — so I wouldn’t face any issues. But on the morning of the interview, things didn’t go as planned. First of all, my alarm didn’t ring because I accidentally set it for PM instead of AM. I woke up with a jolt at around 8:30, and by the time I got ready and left, it was already cutting it close.
To make things worse, there was unexpected traffic on the highway due to an accident, and my cab got stuck for nearly 40 minutes. I was constantly checking the time and informing the HR person, but I still ended up reaching about 20 minutes late.
To be honest, I felt extremely anxious and disappointed in myself. Even though the company was understanding and allowed me to continue with the interview, I kept feeling like I had already made a bad impression. That experience really taught me the value of double-checking everything — especially my alarm clock!
So all in all, it was quite a stressful experience, but also a lesson in time management and staying calm in pressure situations.
💬 Vocabulary:
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Punctual – on time
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Scheduled – planned in advance
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Cutting it close – almost late
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Anxious – worried or nervous
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Jolt – sudden shock or realization
🧠Idioms & Phrases:
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Woke up with a jolt – suddenly realized something
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Cutting it close – almost running late
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To make things worse – when something bad is followed by something worse
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Double-checking everything – reviewing something carefully again
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Made a bad impression – didn’t come across well to others
🔗 Connectors:
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Honestly speaking
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First of all...
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To make things worse...
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To be honest...
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So all in all...
🧩 Customizable Template:
Honestly speaking, I try to be punctual, but I remember a time when I was late for [name the appointment]. It happened [when], and I was supposed to go to [place].
Everything was ready, but due to [reason — alarm, traffic, weather, etc.], I ended up being late by [duration]. I felt [emotion], especially because [explain the situation].
In the end, although [outcome], it really taught me [lesson]. So all in all, it was a memorable experience I learned from.
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