All speaking tasks

storytelling

An embarrassing moment

Tell the story of an embarrassing moment that you can now laugh about. Set the scene, build to the cringe, end with the aftermath.

Step 1 · Listen to a model answer

Last year I gave a presentation on Yeats in English class — I'd worked on it for a week. The whole class was actually paying attention, which never happens. Halfway through, my voice cracks. Properly — like fifteen years old again. I tried to power through; the voice cracks worse. The class is dying laughing. I'm laughing. The teacher's laughing. I never got to the second half of the speech. She gave me top marks anyway — said the topic was Yeats but the lesson was on courage.

Step 2 · Your turn