Describe a time when you made a mistake: IELTS Speaking Part 2 sample answer

I would like to talk about a mistake I made last year when I sent an important email to the wrong person. It was an application for a scholarship, and the person I accidentally sent it to was my friend, not the committee.

I only realised the error two days later, when I checked my sent messages and saw the wrong address. I felt a wave of panic, because the deadline was the next morning.

I immediately wrote a new email to the correct address, attached all the documents again and added a short apology and explanation. I also called the office to confirm that they had received it.

What helped me most during that stressful day was staying calm and thinking step by step. I made a list of what I needed to do, and I asked my teacher for advice about how to write the apology. Her support showed me that people are usually understanding when you are honest.

Fortunately, they accepted my application. Since then, I always read the address twice before I press send, and I have learned that it is better to admit a mistake and fix it quickly than to hide it.