IELTS 1–3 OCTOBER 2026 — FULL PRACTICE SHEET
1. LISTENING — 1–3 OCTOBER
Overall topic bank — prepare these 5
1. Work & recruitment — job applications, training, workplace arrangements
2. Travel & events — bookings, festivals, visitor information, accommodation
3. Education & teaching — courses, lesson planning, university/school projects
4. Environment & natural science — wetlands, wildlife, agriculture, natural resources
5. Technology & community services — public facilities, technology, local programmes
These themes are grounded in September recall patterns: travel-agent booking, cabin-crew recruitment, international events, volunteer briefings, education/lesson planning and natural-environment lectures have all appeared in recent reconstructed September sets.
Part 1
Predicted practice topics: job enquiry/application,... travel or event booking,... accommodation/service enquiry.
Question-type rotation: Form/Note Completion,... Multiple Choice
Shortcut:
WHO → PURPOSE → DETAILS → NUMBER/NAME → FINAL CHANGE
Watch for: phone numbers,... prices,... dates,... addresses,... opening times,... qualifications,... requirements.
Common traps: “I initially thought...” → changed information
“It used to be...” → old information
“Actually...” → correction
“Not X, but Y...” → Y is the answer
Part 2
Predicted topics: community event,... tourist attraction/facility,... volunteer programme.
Question-type rotation: Multiple Choice,... Map/Plan Labelling
Shortcut:
PLACE → PURPOSE → LOCATION → DETAIL
Map vocabulary: opposite,... beside,... beyond,... entrance,... reception,... at the far end,... adjacent to,... in the corner,... across from.
Part 3
Predicted topics: university/course discussion,... student project,... lesson or research planning.
Question-type rotation: Multiple Choice,... Matching
Shortcut:
PROBLEM → TWO OPINIONS → EVIDENCE → DECISION
Listen for: I agree,... I'm not convinced,... that's a good point,... but,... whereas,... I'd rather,... what about...?
Part 4
Predicted topics: natural environment,... wildlife/ecosystem,... scientific or educational lecture.
Question-type rotation: Note/Sentence Completion,... Multiple Choice
Recent September material included a lecture on American salt marshes, including salinity, wildlife and human intervention.
Shortcut:
INTRODUCTION → DEFINITION → FEATURE 1 → FEATURE 2 → PROBLEM → EFFECT → SOLUTION
For a lecture, don't wait for the exact word from the question. Expect paraphrasing.
Example: “animals feed on plants” → “wildlife depends on vegetation”
Listening Master Formula
READ → PREDICT → LISTEN → CONFIRM → WRITE → MOVE
Before the recording: circle names,... underline numbers,... predict noun/verb/adjective,... mark MCQ differences.
During: don't translate,... don't look backwards,... don't panic after one missed answer.
After: check spelling,... singular/plural,... word limit,... numbers.
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2. READING ACADEMIC
Overall 6-topic rotation
1. Environment/natural science
2. Technology and society
3. Education/learning
4. Work and human behaviour
5. History/culture
6. Urban development/public facilities
Passage 1
Likely practice themes: natural environment,... wildlife,... historical discovery
Question types: Matching Headings,... True/False/Not Given
Shortcut:
HEADING = MAIN IDEA, NOT DETAIL
For T/F/NG:
TRUE = agrees
FALSE = contradicts
NOT GIVEN = information absent
Never use outside knowledge.
Passage 2
Likely themes: technology in daily life,... education innovation,... workplace changes
Question types: Multiple Choice,... Matching Information
Shortcut:
QUESTION → KEYWORD → PARAPHRASE → PARAGRAPH → PROOF
Matching Information warning: one paragraph may contain a tiny detail that looks relevant. Read the surrounding sentences and identify the exact claim.
Passage 3
Likely themes: scientific/environmental research,... human behaviour,... urban/social development
Question types: Summary/Sentence Completion,... Multiple Choice
Shortcut:
QUESTION ORDER → LOCATE → READ 2–3 SENTENCES → ANSWER
For difficult Passage 3:
CLAIM → EVIDENCE → EXAMPLE → CONCLUSION
Recent September reconstructed Reading sets confirm a broad mix of matching, MCQ and other standard question types, rather than one fixed pattern.
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3. READING GENERAL TRAINING
Remember the structure:
Section 1 = 2 short texts
Section 2 = 2 workplace/general texts
Section 3 = 1 longer text
Section 1
Predicted practice topics:
Text 1: public notices,... advertisements,... services
Text 2: accommodation,... transport,... community information
Question types: Matching Information,... Short Answer/Multiple Choice
Formula:
SCAN → FIND EXACT DETAIL → CHECK WORDING
Focus on: prices,... dates,... locations,... conditions,... contact details.
Section 2
Predicted topics:
Text 1: workplace training,... employee facilities,... company procedures
Text 2: workplace rules,... recruitment,... professional development
Question types: Matching Headings/Information,... Sentence Completion
Formula:
WHO → WHAT → WHEN → WHY → CONDITION
Watch words: must,... may,... only,... unless,... required,... recommended.
Section 3
Predicted themes:
society,... technology,... education,... changing workplace behaviour
Question types: Multiple Choice,... Matching Headings/Information
Formula:
MAIN ARGUMENT → SUPPORT → CONTRAST → CONCLUSION
Don't read Section 3 like a novel.
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4. READING VOCABULARY
Environment
habitat,... ecosystem,... biodiversity,... conservation,... species,... vegetation,... wetlands,... pollution,... restoration,... erosion,... sustainable.
Technology
innovation,... automation,... digital platform,... artificial intelligence,... efficiency,... accessibility,... dependence,... privacy,... development,... technological advancement.
Education
curriculum,... assessment,... academic performance,... practical skills,... learning environment,... teaching methods,... research,... independent learning.
Work
employment,... recruitment,... qualification,... training,... productivity,... workplace,... responsibilities,... promotion,... professional development.
Society
community,... population,... urbanisation,... public facilities,... social behaviour,... inequality,... development,... access,... participation.
Paraphrase bank
increase = rise,... grow,... expand,... climb
decrease = decline,... fall,... drop,... reduce
important = significant,... crucial,... considerable
problem = issue,... challenge,... concern,... difficulty
solution = measure,... approach,... response,... intervention
effect = impact,... consequence,... outcome,... result
change = shift,... transition,... transformation,... alteration
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5. ACADEMIC WRITING TASK 1
Prepare these 3 types
Type 1 — Line/Bar/Multiple Data
Practice topics: employment trends,... transport usage,... cinema/visitor numbers,... production figures.
Formula:
INTRO → OVERVIEW → BODY 1 → BODY 2
Introduction:
“The graph illustrates/shows/compares...”
Overview:
Overall, X increased, whereas Y declined. The most noticeable feature is that...
Body:
Starting with X,...
By contrast,...
Meanwhile,...
Towards the end of the period,...
Do NOT give reasons unless the chart gives them.
Type 2 — Process
Practice: natural production,... recycling,... manufacturing,... agricultural process.
Formula:
INTRO → OVERVIEW → STAGE 1–3 → STAGE 4–END
Use:
Initially,...
The process begins when...
Following this,...
Once...
Subsequently,...
The final stage involves...
For a man-made process use passive:
is collected → is transported → is processed → is heated → is packaged
Type 3 — Map
Practice: town redevelopment,... public facility changes,... park/campus transformation.
Formula:
INTRO → OVERVIEW → AREA 1 → AREA 2
Vocabulary:
was replaced by,... was converted into,... was demolished,... was constructed,... was relocated,... was extended,... remained unchanged,... was added,... was removed.
High-value overview:
Overall, the area became more developed, with several new facilities added and some existing features removed or relocated.
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6. ACADEMIC TASK 1 — DATA LANGUAGE
Upward
rose,... increased,... climbed,... grew,... went up
rose from X to Y
Downward
fell,... declined,... dropped,... decreased
fell by X
fell from X to Y
Do not confuse:
from 20 to 30 = +10
by 10 = difference
to 30 = final figure
Stable
remained stable,... stayed unchanged,... levelled off,... remained relatively constant.
Comparison
higher than,... lower than,... twice as high as,... approximately three times the figure for,... slightly above,... considerably below.
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7. GENERAL TRAINING TASK 1
Tone
For this prediction week, prioritise:
FORMAL
Prepare these 3 situations:
1. Complaint — poor service/product/facility
2. Request — information, permission, arrangement
3. Problem + solution — explain an issue and request action
Universal GT letter format
Dear Sir/Madam,
P1 — PURPOSE
“I am writing to complain about...”
“I am writing to request...”
“I am writing regarding...”
P2 — BACKGROUND
Explain exactly what happened.
P3 — DETAILS + SOLUTION
Give 2 specific details and explain what you expect.
P4 — ACTION
“I would appreciate it if you could...”
“I look forward to your response.”
Yours faithfully,
Complaint shortcut
PROBLEM → DETAILS → IMPACT → SOLUTION → REQUEST
Request shortcut
REASON → REQUEST → DETAILS → BENEFIT
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8. WRITING TASK 2
Three priority essay types
1. Opinion
Typical question:
“Some people believe X. To what extent do you agree or disagree?”
Formula:
POSITION → REASON 1 → EXAMPLE → REASON 2 → EXAMPLE → CONCLUSION
Introduction:
“Although there are arguments in favour of X, I believe that Y is more beneficial because...”
Never give a 50/50 answer unless you can control it very well.
2. Discuss Both Views
Formula:
VIEW A → WHY → EXAMPLE → VIEW B → WHY → EXAMPLE → OPINION
Useful:
“Those who support this view argue that...”
“On the other hand,...”
“From my perspective,...”
3. Advantages/Disadvantages
Formula:
ADVANTAGES → EXAMPLE → DISADVANTAGES → EXAMPLE → VERDICT
If the question says:
“Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?”
you MUST clearly say which side outweighs the other.
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9. HIGH-PRIORITY OCTOBER ESSAY PRACTICE
Use these as full 40-minute practice questions:
1. University students should study a wider range of subjects rather than specialise in one area. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
2. More open spaces in cities are being replaced by housing and commercial developments. Is this a positive or negative development?
3. Museums should be free for everyone rather than charging entrance fees. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
4. Young people are becoming less interested in the history of their families. What are the reasons, and is this a positive or negative development?
5. Governments should financially support small businesses rather than individuals who are unable to find work. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
6. People increasingly buy products from large international companies rather than small local businesses. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages.
7. Schools should teach children how to manage money, while others believe this should be taught by parents. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
8. An increasing number of people use online services for banking, shopping and other daily activities. Is this a positive or negative development?
Recent September recalled Task 2 questions have included living alone, changing careers, road safety, international news in schools, online information and education, among others, so these themes are useful for flexible preparation rather than memorising one exact prompt.
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10. ESSAY VOCABULARY
Government
allocate funding,... public expenditure,... government intervention,... financial support,... public resources,... policy measures.
Education
academic development,... practical skills,... learning outcomes,... educational institutions,... curriculum,... teaching methods.
Society
social cohesion,... quality of life,... community engagement,... changing lifestyles,... social pressure,... family relationships.
Technology
technological advancement,... digital dependence,... automation,... online services,... accessibility,... efficiency.
Environment
environmental protection,... natural resources,... carbon emissions,... sustainable development,... conservation,... ecological impact.
Strong but natural verbs
address,... tackle,... encourage,... discourage,... promote,... reduce,... improve,... facilitate,... regulate,... allocate,... preserve.
Avoid forcing words such as “plethora”, “myriad”, “multifaceted” or “in this contemporary era” into every essay.
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11. SPEAKING — 1–3 OCTOBER
The September–December 2026 speaking pool is now producing real candidate recalls. A particularly strong current signal is the repeated report of a person met only once and wanting to know more about them, along with older-person, advice, fitness, making-things, good-service and enjoyable-evening topics.
PART 1 — PRIORITY TOPICS
Prepare short, personal answers for:
Tiredness,... computers/tablets,... collecting things,... lost and found,... street markets,... opportunities,... secondary school,... paper,... fruit and vegetables,... politeness,... rubbish and recycling,... social media,... work/studies,... home,... free time.
The current September–December Part 1 reports specifically include newer themes such as tiredness, rubbish/recycling, computers/tablets, collecting things and lost-and-found.
Part 1 answer engine
ANSWER → BECAUSE → PERSONAL DETAIL
Example:
Do you often feel tired?
“Yes, sometimes, mainly because my days can get quite busy. I usually notice it in the evening, especially if I haven't slept properly the night before.”
Do NOT give a memorised 8-line speech.
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12. PART 2 — HIGH-PRIORITY CUE CARDS
1. A person you met only once and want to know more about
Prepare: who → where/when → conversation → why curious → feeling
This is one of the strongest current recall signals, reported repeatedly in September.
2. An older person you admire/respect
who → relationship → qualities → incident → why respect
3. A person good at making things by hand
who → what they make → when you saw it → skill → why impressive
4. A time you worked in a group/team
when → people → task → your role → result
5. A time you changed your opinion
old opinion → trigger → new information → changed view → result
6. An important decision that made you happy
situation → options → decision → reason → result → feeling
7. A local news story people were interested in
what → where → when → why popular → your reaction
8. A person who taught you a new skill
who → skill → teaching method → difficulty → result
9. A city you visited and would like to revisit
when → where → what you did → best feature → why return
10. A noisy place
where → when → people/sounds → why noisy → reaction
11. A crowded place
location → occasion → crowd → what happened → feeling
12. A natural place you enjoyed
where → when → what you saw → activity → why memorable
13. An evening you enjoyed with friends
when → where → people → activities → why enjoyable
14. A challenging technology problem
device/system → problem → attempts → solution → lesson
15. A message/email you sent but waited a long time for a reply
who → message → reason → waiting → response → feeling
16. A long-term goal
goal → origin → steps → difficulty → future result
17. A tall building you like/dislike
building → location → appearance → purpose → opinion
18. A home you like visiting but wouldn't live in
whose home → description → what you enjoy → drawback → conclusion
Current September–December sources also show city revisit, free-time place, water body, tall building and other place/person cards circulating.
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13. PART 2 — 2-MINUTE FORMULA
Use:
P → P → D → R → F
P = Past/context
P = Place/person
D = Details
R = Reason
F = Feeling/final reflection
For the cue-card bullet points:
1 minute preparation = 4 keywords + 1 story
Do NOT write sentences.
Example notes:
person met once / conference / architect / talked about cities / curious
Then speak naturally.
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14. PART 3 — DISCUSSION FORMULA
Use:
OPINION → REASON → EXAMPLE → CONTRAST
Example:
“I think people are less interested in family history nowadays because modern lifestyles are much busier. For example, young adults often move to different cities for education or work and have less time to talk to older relatives. However, I don't think the interest has disappeared completely, because digital family-history tools have actually made research easier.”
Useful Part 3 language:
“Generally speaking...”
“I would say that...”
“One major reason is...”
“For instance...”
“That said...”
“Compared with the past...”
“From a broader perspective...”
“I don't think this applies to everyone...”
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15. SPEAKING VOCABULARY
People
approachable,... reliable,... considerate,... ambitious,... practical,... creative,... supportive,... knowledgeable,... determined.
Places
peaceful,... lively,... overcrowded,... well-maintained,... picturesque,... convenient,... accessible,... atmospheric.
Experiences
memorable,... unexpected,... rewarding,... challenging,... frustrating,... worthwhile,... eye-opening.
Technology
user-friendly,... time-saving,... efficient,... unreliable,... convenient,... complicated,... outdated.
Society
changing lifestyles,... social interaction,... family bonds,... work-life balance,... public awareness,... community involvement.
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16. SPEAKING GRAMMAR — BAND 7+ CONTROL
Don't try to use difficult grammar everywhere. Rotate these:
Past:
“I had never experienced anything like that before.”
Present perfect:
“It has become much more common in recent years.”
Conditional:
“If I were in that situation, I would probably...”
Although:
“Although it was inconvenient, it taught me an important lesson.”
Relative clause:
“The person who helped me was someone I had only recently met.”
Cause/effect:
“This meant that..., which eventually led to...”
Contrast:
“While some people prefer..., I tend to...”
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17. THE IELTS LISTENING + READING MASTER FORMULA
Listening
READ → PREDICT → LISTEN → CONFIRM → WRITE
Reading
QUESTION → KEYWORD → PARAPHRASE → LOCATION → PROOF
Academic Passage 3
MAIN CLAIM → EVIDENCE → EXAMPLE → AUTHOR'S CONCLUSION
Speaking
ANSWER → WHY → EXAMPLE → EXTEND
Writing Task 1
INTRO → OVERVIEW → SELECT → COMPARE
Writing Task 2
POSITION → REASON → EXAMPLE → EXPLAIN → LINK
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18. 7-DAY PRACTICE PLAN FOR 1–3 OCTOBER
Day 1
Listening Part 1–2,... Academic Reading Passage 1,... Task 1 chart,... Speaking Part 1.
Day 2
Listening Part 3–4,... Academic Reading Passage 2,... GT Sections 1–2,... Task 2 Opinion.
Day 3
Listening Part 5–6,... Academic Reading Passage 3,... GT Section 3,... Speaking cue card.
Day 4
Full Listening test,... Task 1 Process,... Part 2 + Part 3 Speaking.
Day 5
Full Academic/GT Reading,... Task 1 Map,... Task 2 Discussion.
Day 6
Full Writing test,... 3 cue cards,... Part 3 discussion.
Day 7
NO NEW MATERIAL.
Revise:
Vocabulary → formulas → mistakes → weak question types → speaking stories
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19. FINAL EXAM-DAY SHORTCUTS
Listening: Don't chase a missed answer. Move immediately.
Reading: Don't read every word before looking at the questions.
Academic Task 1: Overview is compulsory. Don't explain reasons that aren't shown.
GT Task 1: Tone must match the relationship.
Task 2: Answer every part of the question. Clear position > complicated vocabulary.
Speaking Part 1: Short + personal.
Speaking Part 2: Tell one complete story rather than four disconnected bullet-point answers.
Speaking Part 3: Give an idea, explain it and prove it with an example.
Most important: prepare the topic + structure + vocabulary, not a memorised answer. The current September reports themselves show why: the live Speaking pool contains both newly reported and recurring cards, with wording varying across reports.
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