IELTS Speaking Questions: January–April 2027 Forecast
Our IELTS Speaking forecast for January–April 2027 is the 10 Part 2 cue cards we expect when the cycle opens on 1 January 2027. We wrote them ourselves, around the themes 2027 prep lists keep returning to and the topics our cue-card library covered least. Once the cycle starts, we add the cards test takers report and drop the ones nobody does. IELTS does not publish its question pool, so treat this as a guide, not a guarantee. Part 1 sticks to everyday topics, and Part 3 follows whichever card you get. Open any card for the full prompt and its Part 3 questions.
- Part 2 Cue Cards
- 10
- With Sample Answers
- 10
- Cycle
- Jan–Apr 2027
Describe a time you were caught in very bad weather
Describe an advertisement you remember well
Describe a big change that has happened in your hometown
Describe a group project or team task that went well
Describe a time you used an AI tool to help you with a task
Describe a time you had to use a foreign language to solve a problem
Describe a sports event you watched live
Describe the story behind your name
Describe something you repaired yourself instead of replacing it
Describe a time you borrowed something instead of buying it
Sample answers for January–April 2027 cue cards
- Describe a time you were caught in very bad weather: Band 7 answer
- Describe an advertisement you remember well: Band 6 answer
- Describe a big change that has happened in your hometown: Band 8 answer
- Describe a group project or team task that went well: Band 6.5 answer
- Describe a time you used an AI tool to help you with a task: Band 7.5 answer
- Describe a time you had to use a foreign language to solve a problem: Band 8.5 answer
- Describe a sports event you watched live: Band 7 answer
- Describe the story behind your name: Band 6.5 answer
- Describe something you repaired yourself instead of replacing it: Band 8 answer
- Describe a time you borrowed something instead of buying it: Band 6 answer
How this list is compiled
IELTS keeps its question bank private, so no list of recent questions is official, including this one. The cards come from the recent-question lists other IELTS prep sites publish and from cue cards test takers post on public IELTS forums. We have not confirmed every card against a test taker's own report, and some cards carry over from earlier cycles.
So a card here is one that is likely to come up, not one IELTS has confirmed, and your test can use a card that is not on the list. Practise speaking about each topic area rather than memorising an answer: examiners are trained to spot rehearsed responses.
Early in a cycle the list is short. Only a few people have sat the test since the change, and their reports take time to appear online, so expect the list to grow over the first weeks.
How IELTS Speaking cycles work
Prep sites, this one included, split the year into three four-month cycles and file each cue card under the cycle it was listed in. IELTS publishes no rotation schedule, so the dates are a convention, not an official calendar. What the reports do show is that Part 2 cards, and the Part 3 questions tied to them, change during the year, while Part 1 keeps returning to the same everyday subjects.
Sitting your test in the last weeks of one cycle or the first weeks of the next? Practise both lists.
| Cycle | Runs | Part 2 cards listed |
|---|---|---|
| January–April 2027 | 1 Jan – 30 Apr 2027 | 10 so far |
| September–December 2026 | 1 Sep – 31 Dec 2026 | 26 so far |
| May–August 2026 | 1 May – 31 Aug 2026 | 34 |
| January–April 2026 | 1 Jan – 30 Apr 2026 | 8 |
Part 1 and Part 3 topics for January–April 2027
The Speaking test takes 11–14 minutes: IELTS gives 4–5 minutes to Part 1, 3–4 minutes to Part 2 (including 1 minute to prepare a talk of up to 2 minutes) and 4–5 minutes to Part 3.
We don't track Part 1 reports by cycle, and you don't need us to. IELTS says Part 1 covers familiar subjects such as home, family, work, studies or interests, and those come up in every cycle. Part 3 is different. It's a discussion that builds on your Part 2 topic in a more general, abstract way, so the topic areas behind this cycle's cards show where Part 3 is likely to go.
Topic areas in the January–April 2027 cards, with the Part 1 questions and vocabulary for each:
IELTS Speaking forecast FAQs
Is the IELTS Speaking forecast official?
No. IELTS, the British Council and IDP do not publish the Speaking question pool, so no forecast comes from them, ours included. This cycle has not started, so no test taker has reported these cards yet: we wrote them as practice for the themes we expect in January–April 2027, and we replace them with reported cards once the cycle opens.
When does the IELTS Speaking cycle change?
Prep sites split the year into three cycles: January–April, May–August and September–December. IELTS does not announce a change date, so treat the boundaries as approximate. If your test falls in the last weeks of one cycle or the first weeks of the next, practise the cards from both.
Do IELTS Speaking Part 1 topics change each cycle?
IELTS describes Part 1 as questions on familiar subjects such as home, family, work, studies or interests. Those subjects come up all year; the exact questions vary from test to test. Practise the common topics rather than waiting for a new list.
Should I memorise answers to the forecast cue cards?
No. Examiners are trained to spot rehearsed answers, and your card may not be on any list. Use each card to practise talking about a topic area for the full 2 minutes, then read its sample answer to see what a higher band does differently.
How many cue cards are in the January–April 2027 list?
10 so far, 10 with a band-graded sample answer. The list grows as more recent questions are published.