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Describe a time when the electricity suddenly went off: IELTS Speaking Cue Card

You should say

  • When/where it happened
  • What happened when it went off
  • How people reacted / what you did
  • And explain how you felt about it
Show all 73 answers

Cue 1:When/where it happened

  • Begin by describing the specific location and time when the electricity went off.
  • Mention any relevant details about the setting, such as whether you were at home, school, or work.

Example

It was a hot summer evening around 7 PM when the electricity suddenly went off at my home. I was in the living room, trying to finish my homework while the ceiling fan was running to keep me cool.

Cue 2:What happened when it went off

  • Explain the immediate effects of the power outage, such as darkness or loss of appliances.
  • Mention any specific activities that were interrupted due to the electricity going off.

Example

As soon as the lights went out, the room was plunged into darkness. The fan stopped spinning, and I could hear the distant sounds of my neighbors reacting to the outage. My laptop screen went black, and I realized I couldn’t continue my studies.

Cue 3:How people reacted / what you did

  • Describe how you and others around you reacted to the sudden power cut.
  • Mention any actions you took to cope with the situation, like using candles or checking on family members.

Example

My family quickly gathered in the living room, and my mother lit some candles to provide light. My younger brother started to feel scared, so I reassured him that it would be okay. We all sat together, sharing stories to pass the time.

Cue 4:And explain how you felt about it

  • Share your feelings about the power outage, whether it was frustration, fear, or something else.
  • Reflect on any positive aspects of the situation, like spending time with family.

Example

Initially, I felt frustrated because I was in the middle of my homework. However, as we sat together in candlelight, I realized it was a nice opportunity to bond with my family. We laughed and talked, which made me appreciate the moment despite the inconvenience.

Conclusion

    Example

    In conclusion, the sudden power cut was an unexpected event that disrupted my evening. However, it turned into a memorable experience as it brought my family together, reminding me of the importance of spending quality time with loved ones, even in challenging situations.

    Following this structure will ensure you cover all the essential points while providing a clear and engaging response to the cue card topic.

    Tips to answer this Cue Card

    1: Lack of Detail in Description

    Failing to provide specific details about when and where the electricity went off can make your answer less engaging and informative. It may leave the examiner with unanswered questions.

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    Tip

    Include specific details such as the location, time of day, and any relevant context to make your story more vivid and relatable.

    2: Ignoring Emotional Response

    Not expressing how you felt during the power outage can make your response seem flat. Emotions help to connect with the listener and add depth to your answer.

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    Tip

    Share your feelings during the event, whether it was fear, frustration, or humor, to create a more compelling narrative.

    Neglecting Reactions of Others

    Overlooking how others reacted to the situation can limit the scope of your response. Including others' reactions can enrich your story and provide different perspectives.

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    Tip

    Mention how family, friends, or colleagues reacted to the power outage to add variety and depth to your response.

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    All Answers

    Here are all the answers by real-users practicing speaking for IELTS Cue Cards on our IELTS Prep App.

    Band 6-7

    I was working in a consultancy company as a consultant and there was a time when electricity suddenly went off and every person or I would say the student really became anxious because of sudden electricity went off and the teacher who are teaching the student in the class suddenly came out from the classes and saying things to me because I was the only person there at the time because the manager was on hard leave so they are just raising their complaint to me that the electricity is not there and we can't start the computers for the student to teach them and they are really panicking so I stayed calm at the situation because I also panicked a little from the inside but I can't show them because if I would show them my panic they also feel very scared of the situation so I just called my manager and asked her what should I do then she suggested me to on the generator and I don't have any idea how to on the generator at that time so I just asked the security guard that did he know how to on the generator so I quickly went to generator with his assistance and on the

    Band 6-7

    Last night when I was home alone, the electricity went off. I suspected it might have been due to the heavy rains. Because of this, my house was instantly filled with darkness. Being a horror movie fanatic, I must admit, I was slightly frightened at first until my eyes got accustomed to the natural light from the moon. Initially I was slightly frustrated since the darkness interrupted the work I was doing. However later it made me think about the people living in more rural areas of my city where they do not have constant access to electricity. How difficult it must be for them to do daily activities during the night was something that really struck me.

    Band 6-7

    A time when the electricity suddenly went off was when it was raining cats and dogs outside and I had my exam season starting and I hadn't prepared that well because I was sick for the prior few weeks. So I decided to go and take some printouts so I can practice and revise all the subjects. But the problem was when I left I broke one of my heels and that only made my mood change a lot. So I decided to take the lift which I usually don't go for. I usually take the stairs. So that day I decided to take the lift and suddenly the electricity went off and the lift stopped. It completely went off. It was glitching and it freaked me out. I was freaking the soul out of myself. It was so scary because I was all alone in the lift and I did not have any help because I could not see anything and I remember my phone's battery was about to die so I couldn't put on the flashlight as well so I started ringing the bell but the bell wasn't working as well so I started chanting God's name. So that was a really really terrible and scary experience. I was horrified from my inner soul for real. So I still remember that day and the fear of being stuck in a closed box. But then after the light came, the electricity came back but I was still stuck in the lift because the other lift was closed.

    Band 6-7

    About two weeks ago, due to a heavy rain and thunderstorm, there was a power grid failure, which resulted in a complete blackout in the city. All of our devices and internet were not having any sort of power to run. And because of this, there was panic at first because everyone was worried how will they be able to complete the assignments. However, within a few hours, people came to accept it because there was nothing which they could do about it. Personally, it gave me some time to be alone with my thoughts, which is not possible when you are daily grinding at work. It helped me to be with myself, to observe people at workplace. It also gave us an opportunity to connect with each other and to talk about things, which otherwise in the daily chaos, we are not able to do so. Overall, I feel it was a much needed reset, which came in the disguise of a blackout.

    Band 6-7

    During the Chennai floods, the electricity was off and it is a time of struggle but it also gave us nostalgia. Today's when we were angry and there were usually scheduled power cuts in the city so you know during the power cuts people know that these are the times of power cuts so we prepare in advance we have candle light dinners at home. Some people would go to the terrace and have moonlight dinner so it did not seem like a big bothersome thing to have electricity cut. You know children who have exams feels a little frustrated but still they would continue their preparation in the candle light. So when the electricity was off during the floods the generators and the inventors also ran out of electricity so there was a compulsion of experiencing the power cut for even the high class society and it only brought nostalgia and it also made sure people act as a community. So neighbors who never spoke actually spoke and exchanged resources that they have. Some people who are in undergrounds actually went to their neighbors who are in first or second floors and shared the resources with them so it was not a bad experience it was quite a good one.

    Band 6-7

    There was a time when in my society a short circuit occurred and the electricity went off for two days. People reacted very aggressively in that moment because they are highly dependent on electricity for their household and business purposes. Moreover people tried to do and provide basic things and generators and inverters were provided by the government but it was really very disturbing and people were very outraged at that moment. Still we managed to do take, still we managed to pass that two days and get back to a normal life after two days. Also government should be more concerned towards the electricity and usage and theft of electricity.

    Band 6-7

    I think a time when the electricity suddenly went off in my hometown which was during a heavy rainy season at the night. Due to the rain and the cold weather we can't cooperate with it because we need any fan or any other air conditions to sleep. So we didn't sleep at that night and on the early morning we all noticed that we didn't have electricity and we can't charge our phones. So we all shut down our phones and placed it aside and we waited for the electricity which will come. And I think that was the moment the whole family come together in a hall and chit chat about some things happening around us also. We all cook together and eat food together. I think it was the best moment ever because during these days all are busy with their phones especially watching some videos alone in his room, not getting together into a family conversation or any other interaction between the family members are happening now. So I think it is the most beautiful moment when the whole family get together and cooking together even more. It makes me one of my favorite things and I think all reacted in a peaceful way because they all enjoyed without their phones. They are worried about finishing of the water in our water tanks but it's okay we can cooperate with it and which was the most beautiful day in my life with a rainy season and a cold weather.

    Band 6-7

    It was the time around 11 o'clock last Monday, when there was the power supply cut because of the reason that the power main supply had some breakage. The overall experience I and apart from that my family members felt was very bad because it was too hot outside and even it's very difficult for us to stay and work without ACs. And we think that we called after waiting for 2 to 3 hours when the power supply didn't come we called the engineer. They said that it will take a long time to repair because there was a lot of glitch in the main power supply and there was also a breakdown of main supply power and if they don't repair it properly later it will create more problems. The people also started moving outside their houses because the invaders have a limited power time period and the battery also get discharged. Most of the people who have their laptop with them they were not able to do their work correctly because as their laptops are not charged and as they are charged they use the charging power station. So I also felt very bad.

    Band 6-7

    Although electricity went many times, I remember, as far as I remember, but the most significant time I can recall is when I went to my cousin's wedding, it was my female cousin's wedding and this, when it was, you know in Muslim culture, there is a thing about barat and nikah, so at that time the barat was about to arrive and immediately, immediately the lights went off, everyone got panicked, my father and my grandfather and my father, everyone got panicked. Mila?

    Band 6-7

    So, I was working at Ionite Design Studio, which is a corporate firm and has around 60 people who are seated in the same room, probably 30 feet wide. And there was this instance where electricity broke off and all the servers got disconnected, all the fans got switched off, all the lights, even though it was during the day, we did not face many problems related to vision or clarity or something like that, but we felt suffocated, which was a major issue. But the fun part about it is everybody enjoyed being in that situation because nobody had to work anymore. When the servers go off, that means you are not connected to any of the work that you were doing until like a few minutes ago. It also brings out the question of whether the work has been saved or not, because in that case, it is a loss, but in general, people were very happy because they got the electricity.
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