Describe a time when the electricity suddenly went off.
This test has appeared in 4 seasons
- Sep–Dec/2026
- May–Aug/2026
- Jan–Apr/2026
- Sep–Dec/2025
Reported by test takers Forecast only
Part 1
The examiner asks about you and two familiar topics. About 4–5 minutes.
Work or study
- Do you work, or are you a student? (Why?)
- Why did you choose that job or that subject? (Tell me more about that.)
- What do you enjoy most about it? (Why?)
- Is there anything you would like to change about it? (Why?)
Childhood
- Where did you spend most of your childhood? (Tell me more about that.)
- What did you enjoy doing most as a child? (Tell me more about that.)
- Who was your best friend when you were a child? (Tell me more about that.)
- Do you think children today have a better childhood than you did? (Why is that?)
Music
- What kind of music do you like? (Tell me more about that.)
- When do you usually listen to music? (Tell me more about that.)
- Have you ever learned to play an instrument? (Why is that?)
- Has your taste in music changed over the years? (Why is that?)
Part 2
One minute to prepare, then speak for one to two minutes.
Describe a time when the electricity suddenly went off.
You should say:
- when and where it happened
- what you were doing at the time
- how long it lasted
and explain how you felt during the power cut.
Follow-up question after your talk: Do power cuts happen often where you live? / How long did that one last?
Part 3
A broader, more abstract discussion of the Part 2 topic. About 4–5 minutes.
how much daily life depends on electricity
- Can you explain why a power cut causes so many problems in modern homes?
- In general, how much does daily life in your country depend on electricity?
- How would you contrast homes today and homes before electricity was common?
energy for the future
- Can you describe the ways ordinary people can use less electricity?
- What could be done about the amount of energy wasted in cities at night?
- Can you speculate on how homes will get their electricity in fifty years' time?
Test titles follow test-taker reports and each season's forecasts — IELTS does not publish its papers. "Reported" means someone reported meeting this topic in a dated test. The questions are written by us in the format of the real test.