# Describe a time the electricity went off: IELTS Speaking sample answers

Speaking Part 2 - Events

Describe a time when the electricity suddenly went off.

You should say:
- when it happened
- where you were
- what you did while there was no electricity
- and explain how you felt about it

Source: Sample answers and examiner notes are written by Testmigo.

## Band 7 sample

I'd like to talk about a power cut that happened about three years ago, the night before one of my final school exams.

I was at home in my bedroom, studying for my chemistry exam, which was the next morning at nine o'clock. It was around eight in the evening, and there was a big storm outside with strong wind and heavy rain. Suddenly, the lights flickered a couple of times and then everything went completely dark. At first I thought it would only be for a few minutes, because in my area that happens sometimes. But after half an hour, it still hadn't come back, and we found out later that a tree had fallen on the power lines.

I was really panicking at first, because I still had two chapters to revise. My laptop battery was almost empty and my phone was on twenty per cent. Then my mother found some candles in the kitchen drawer, and I continued studying by candlelight at the dining table. It was difficult to read, to be honest, and my eyes got tired quickly. My younger brother sat next to me and kept to ask questions, which didn't help. In the end, I gave up around eleven and went to bed early.

Looking back, I have mixed feelings about it. At the time I was stressed and quite angry, because I thought it would ruin my exam. But actually the exam went fine, maybe because I got more sleep than usual. And now it's a funny memory. My family still jokes about the night I studied chemistry like a student from nineteenth century.

**Examiner notes.** This Band 7 answer tells a clear, relevant story and covers all four bullets. Vocabulary is good ("flickered", "power lines", "by candlelight", "mixed feelings"), and the past perfect is used correctly for background ("a tree had fallen"). There are two typical errors: the verb pattern in "kept to ask questions" (rather than "kept asking questions") and the missing article in "a student from nineteenth century" (rather than "from the nineteenth century"). Some expressions are also fairly plain ("really panicking", "quite angry"). For Band 8, the speaker would need more idiomatic and precise vocabulary for feelings and atmosphere, and greater variety in sentence openings.

The Band 8 sample is free with an account on the [topic page](https://testmigo.com/ielts/speaking/topics/describe-a-time-the-power-went-off).

## Common questions

### How long should an IELTS Speaking Part 2 answer be?

You get one minute to prepare and then speak for up to two minutes; the examiner stops you at two. Aim to keep talking for the full time, which is usually 220 to 300 words.

### Can I use these sample answers in my test?

No. Examiners are trained to spot memorised answers, and a learned script is marked down. Use the samples to see what each band does, then answer in your own words.