Last updated: October 19, 2026
An IELTS Speaking prediction is a list of the topics you are most likely to meet in the current test period, based on what recent candidates report. This guide sets out the expected topic areas for September–December 2026 in all three parts of the Speaking test, shows how the mix of topics has shifted since 2025, and explains how to prepare so that you are ready even when your exact question isn’t on any list.
About these predictions: they are based on third-party collections of topics reported by IELTS candidates and on our own analysis of those topics. IELTS does not publish its Speaking questions, so no prediction can guarantee what you will be asked.
If you’re looking for free IELTS Speaking practice, then click the button below to answer real Speaking questions and get a free AI score.
play_circle_outline Start Free IELTS Speaking PracticeAfter their tests, many candidates share the Speaking questions they were asked. Preparation websites collect these reports and group them by period, usually January–April, May–August, and September–December. When the same topics are reported again and again within a period, they become “predicted” topics.
That makes predictions useful for one thing: knowing which topic areas are common right now. They are not a list of guaranteed questions. Topics often carry over between periods, the exact wording changes from test to test, and the examiner can choose from a large bank of questions.
Part | Expected topic areas | How to prepare |
|---|---|---|
Part 1 (4–5 minutes) | Work or study, hometown, home, plus everyday topics such as free time, food, technology, travel, and the weather | Short, natural answers with a reason and an example. See our IELTS Speaking Part 1 questions. |
Part 2 (cue card) | People, places, experiences and events, objects, technology, and media | A bank of flexible personal stories you can adapt. See our IELTS cue cards 2026. |
Part 3 (discussion) | Broader questions linked to your Part 2 topic: society, education, work, technology, and the environment | Opinions with reasons and examples beyond your own life |
Part 1 is the most predictable part of the test. It almost always starts with one of three topics, then moves to one or two everyday subjects.
Every one of these, with four or five practice questions and sample answers, is on our IELTS Speaking Part 1 questions page.
Recent reports for September–December 2026 cluster into four topic areas. Prepare at least one story for each area, and you will have material for almost any cue card.
Examples of recently reported cue cards:
See all of them, with “You should say” prompts and ideas, in the people cue cards.
Examples of recently reported cue cards:
See all of them, with “You should say” prompts and ideas, in the places cue cards.
Examples of recently reported cue cards:
See all of them, with “You should say” prompts and ideas, in the experiences and events cue cards.
Examples of recently reported cue cards:
See all of them, with “You should say” prompts and ideas, in the objects, technology, and media cue cards.
Part 3 questions grow out of your Part 2 topic, so the Part 3 themes follow the same four areas. Expect questions that ask you to compare, explain causes, or predict the future:
Part 2 area | Likely Part 3 themes |
|---|---|
People | Role models, generations learning from each other, and what makes people successful or happy |
Places | City life, noise and pollution, public spaces, and protecting nature in cities |
Experiences and events | Decision-making, teamwork at school and work, helping others, and customer service |
Objects, technology, and media | Technology in daily life, reading habits, news and social media, and consumer culture |
Part 3 rewards developed opinions: answer the question, explain why, and support it with an example from society, not only from your own life.
We grouped recently reported Part 2 and Part 3 topics into seven categories and compared 2025 with 2026.

The prediction for the rest of 2026 follows the same pattern: personal experiences, people, and places first. For more on the Speaking test and how each part is scored, see our IELTS Speaking test guide.
The best use of a prediction list is not to memorize answers to it, but to build a small story bank: six to eight real experiences that you can adapt to many cue cards. Each story covers several topic areas at once:
Story from your life | Cue cards it can answer |
|---|---|
A grandparent or older relative who taught you something | An older person you admire; a person who overcame a challenge; a time someone helped you |
A trip to a city you loved | A city you would like to visit again; a noisy place; an enjoyable evening with friends |
A change of plan, such as a new course or job | An important decision you changed; a personal achievement; a time you saved money |
A group project at school or work | A time you worked in a team; a time you helped someone; a successful person you know |
An app, book, or device you use every day | An app you use; something you cannot live without; a gift for a friend |
For each story, note the background, what happened, one specific detail, and how you felt. Then practise telling it for two minutes in different directions. Add topic vocabulary for each area, and you will be ready for predicted topics and new ones alike.
Each part of the Speaking test asks for a different length of answer. The chart shows how long our learners actually speak in each part. In Part 3, where predicted themes turn into abstract questions, grammar was the lowest criterion most often, in 84% of answers.
Knowing the topics is half the job. The other half is answering them out loud under test timing. Our free practice covers all three parts, and every recording gets an instant AI score on fluency, vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation:
Part 3 is where predicted themes become hardest, because the questions are abstract. This AI Tutor exercise walks you through a real Part 3 question from our bank, step by step:
Task Achievement — IELTS Speaking 3
Learn how to answer this question in a step-by-step interactive exercise
Task Achievement — IELTS Speaking 3
IELTS 말하기 Part 3 문제에 답하는 첫 단계는 질문 패턴을 파악하는 거예요. 패턴을 알아보면 그에 맞는 답변 구조를 머릿속에서 바로 떠올릴 수 있어요.
그러면 다음에 무슨 말을 할지 분명해지기 때문에 답을 매끄럽게 전개하고 말이 막히는 것을 피할 수 있어요. 말하기 전에 답 전체를 계획하려 하지 말고, 구조를 한 단계씩 따라가기만 하세요.
이 단계에서는 자주 나오는 IELTS 말하기 Part 3 질문 패턴 8가지와 각 패턴의 답변 구조를 배워요. 각 패턴 탭을 클릭해서 어떻게 쓰는지 알아보세요.
1번 문제를 연습해 봐요.
먼저 질문 패턴을 파악하세요. 이 질문은 나에게 무엇을 하라고 요구하는가? 하고 스스로 물어보세요. 패턴을 알아보면 그에 맞는 답변 구조를 따라 답을 이끌어 가세요.
이 문제의 패턴은 Opinion / View이므로 다음 구조를 따르세요.
Answer → Reason → Explain → Example → Result → Second Point or Contrast → Conclusion
말할 때 Well, Actually, For example, What I mean by that is, So overall 같은 의도적 필러를 사용하세요. 이런 표현은 답변을 더 매끄럽게 들리게 하고, 다음에 할 말이 잠깐 생각나지 않을 때 생각할 시간을 조금 벌어 줘요. 모든 문장에 넣지 말고 자연스럽게 사용하세요. 아래는 의도적 필러 목록이에요.
Do you think job satisfaction is more important than your salary when choosing a job?
2번 문제를 연습해 봐요.
먼저 질문 패턴을 파악하세요. 이 질문은 나에게 무엇을 하라고 요구하는가? 하고 스스로 물어보세요. 패턴을 알아보면 그에 맞는 답변 구조를 따라 답을 이끌어 가세요.
이 문제의 패턴은 Descriptive / Types이므로 다음 구조를 따르세요.
Main Type → Explain → Example → Second Type → Explain or Compare → Overall View
말할 때 Well, Actually, For example, What I mean by that is, So overall 같은 의도적 필러를 사용하세요. 이런 표현은 답변을 더 매끄럽게 들리게 하고, 다음에 할 말이 잠깐 생각나지 않을 때 생각할 시간을 조금 벌어 줘요. 모든 문장에 넣지 말고 자연스럽게 사용하세요. 아래는 의도적 필러 목록이에요.
What skills do you think are needed to get a good job these days?
3번 문제를 연습해 봐요.
먼저 질문 패턴을 파악하세요. 이 질문은 나에게 무엇을 하라고 요구하는가? 하고 스스로 물어보세요. 패턴을 알아보면 그에 맞는 답변 구조를 따라 답을 이끌어 가세요.
이 문제의 패턴은 Opinion / View이므로 다음 구조를 따르세요.
Answer → Reason → Explain → Example → Result → Second Point or Contrast → Conclusion
말할 때 Well, Actually, For example, What I mean by that is, So overall 같은 의도적 필러를 사용하세요. 이런 표현은 답변을 더 매끄럽게 들리게 하고, 다음에 할 말이 잠깐 생각나지 않을 때 생각할 시간을 조금 벌어 줘요. 모든 문장에 넣지 말고 자연스럽게 사용하세요. 아래는 의도적 필러 목록이에요.
Do you think that women should be able to do the same jobs as men?
4번 문제를 연습해 봐요.
먼저 질문 패턴을 파악하세요. 이 질문은 나에게 무엇을 하라고 요구하는가? 하고 스스로 물어보세요. 패턴을 알아보면 그에 맞는 답변 구조를 따라 답을 이끌어 가세요.
이 문제의 패턴은 Compare / Contrast이므로 다음 구조를 따르세요.
Main Difference → Explain → Example → Second Difference → Contrast → Overall Comparison
말할 때 Well, Actually, For example, What I mean by that is, So overall 같은 의도적 필러를 사용하세요. 이런 표현은 답변을 더 매끄럽게 들리게 하고, 다음에 할 말이 잠깐 생각나지 않을 때 생각할 시간을 조금 벌어 줘요. 모든 문장에 넣지 말고 자연스럽게 사용하세요. 아래는 의도적 필러 목록이에요.
What’s the difference between white collar and blue collar jobs?
5번 문제를 연습해 봐요.
먼저 질문 패턴을 파악하세요. 이 질문은 나에게 무엇을 하라고 요구하는가? 하고 스스로 물어보세요. 패턴을 알아보면 그에 맞는 답변 구조를 따라 답을 이끌어 가세요.
이 문제의 패턴은 Descriptive / Types이므로 다음 구조를 따르세요.
Main Type → Explain → Example → Second Type → Explain or Compare → Overall View
말할 때 Well, Actually, For example, What I mean by that is, So overall 같은 의도적 필러를 사용하세요. 이런 표현은 답변을 더 매끄럽게 들리게 하고, 다음에 할 말이 잠깐 생각나지 않을 때 생각할 시간을 조금 벌어 줘요. 모든 문장에 넣지 말고 자연스럽게 사용하세요. 아래는 의도적 필러 목록이에요.
What jobs do you think are most valuable to society?
For a detailed review of your recordings, see our IELTS speaking review guide.
The best way to prepare for predicted topics is to answer real questions out loud. Every Speaking practice in our question bank is listed below by part. Open any set to record your answers and get an instant AI score.
Predictions are based on topics that candidates report after their tests, so they show which topic areas are common in a period. They cannot tell you your exact questions, because IELTS does not publish its question bank.
Preparation websites usually group reported topics into January–April, May–August, and September–December. Many topics carry over from one period to the next, and IELTS does not announce official change dates.
No. Prepare a bank of flexible stories and topic vocabulary instead. Memorized answers sound unnatural and often do not fit the exact question you receive.
In the 2026 topics we analysed, events and experiences was the largest category, followed by people and places. Together, people and places made up 43.6% of the topics.
Use the same method: answer directly, give a reason, and add a personal example. If you have practised flexible stories about people, places, and experiences, you can adapt them to most new topics.
The figures on this page come from the BestMyTest IELTS learner performance data, our records of IELTS practice on BestMyTest up to October 2026. That page explains how we measure each figure. Last updated 15 October 2026.