Recent IELTS Exam Questions and Topics – November 2026

Recent IELTS Exam Questions and Topics – November 2026

Updated: 15 November 2026 | IELTS Academic and General Training

Prepare for your IELTS examination with recently reported questions and topics covering Writing Task 1, Writing Task 2, Speaking Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3, Listening and Reading.

This collection brings together useful IELTS examination topics, recalled questions and practice prompts to help candidates understand the types of questions they may encounter in the test. It covers both IELTS Academic and General Training and includes important topics to prioritise during preparation.

Important note: IELTS does not officially publish its live examination questions. The questions in this collection are based on publicly available test-taker reports, recalled questions and reconstructed practice materials.

Recent IELTS Writing Task 2 Questions – November 2026

IELTS Writing Task 2 requires candidates to write an essay of at least 250 words. Candidates should understand the question, develop relevant arguments, provide supporting examples and organise their ideas clearly.

The following questions cover several important topics and essay types.

Question 1: University Education and Competition

Nowadays, more and more people want to study at university, and the number of university places has increased to meet this demand.

• Why is this happening?
• Is competition for university places a positive or negative development?

Essay type: Two-part question

Main topics: Higher education, university admissions, academic competition and employment opportunities.

Question 2: Online Gambling Applications

Some argue that online gambling applications should be banned, while others feel they should be permitted in all countries.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Essay type: Opinion essay

Main topics: Technology, online entertainment, gambling regulations and government responsibility.

Question 3: Museums and Historical Sites

Many museums and historical sites are mainly visited by tourists, not local people.

Why is this the case? What can be done to attract local people?

Essay type: Problem and solution

Main topics: Tourism, museums, cultural heritage and local communities.

Question 4: Language Learning in Small Classes

Some people think that languages should be taught in small classes, while other people think the number of students in a language class does not matter.

Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Essay type: Discussion essay

Main topics: Education, language learning, classroom environment and teaching methods.

Question 5: Animal Extinction

It is a natural process for animal species to become extinct, such as dinosaurs and dodos. There is no reason why people should try to prevent this from happening.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Essay type: Opinion essay

Main topics: Wildlife conservation, biodiversity and environmental responsibility.

Question 6: Food Waste

Every day, millions of tons of food are wasted all over the world.

Why do you think this is happening? How can we solve this problem?

Essay type: Causes and solutions

Main topics: Food consumption, consumer behaviour, environmental protection and sustainability.

Additional IELTS Writing Task 2 Questions

Question 7: Family Values and Education

The values that we learn from our parents and family have a greater influence on our future success than the knowledge and skills we learn at school.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Question 8: Responsible Tourism

Some people believe that it is impossible to be a responsible tourist, even though tourists are increasingly concerned about protecting local cultures and the environment.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Question 9: Using Animals for Human Benefit

Some people think that humans can use animals for their benefit. Others believe that this practice is wrong.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

These additional topics are useful for practising essays about family, education, tourism, culture, animal welfare and environmental protection.

Recent IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 Questions – November 2026

IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 requires candidates to describe and compare visual information in at least 150 words. Questions can include line graphs, bar charts, pie charts, tables, maps and process diagrams.

The following are representative recalled questions and practice topics.

Question 1: Temporary Migrant Workers

Question type: Table

The table shows the number of temporary migrant workers in four countries in 2003 and 2006, together with the number of these workers per 1,000 people in each country in 2006.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Topic: Migration and employment.

Question 2: Students Studying Abroad

Question type: Line graph

The graph provides information about the number of students from the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia who studied in other countries between 2002 and 2007.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Topic: International education.

Question 3: Car Manufacturer Sales

Question type: Bar chart

The chart shows the percentage of a car manufacturer’s total sales in various regions from 2006 to 2010.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Topic: Business and sales.

Other Academic Writing Task 1 Practice Topics

Preparation tip: Focus on identifying the most significant trends, similarities, differences and changes. Avoid describing every figure separately.

Recent IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 Questions

IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 requires candidates to write a letter of at least 150 words. Questions may ask you to write formal, semi-formal or informal letters.

Formal Letters

Question 1: Library Improvements

Your local public library wants to improve its services and facilities. Write a letter to the librarian.

• Describe what you like about the library.
• Explain what you do not like.
• Suggest some improvements.

Question 2: Renting a Car

You would like to rent a car for a holiday. Write a letter to the car rental agency.

• Explain what type of car you would like.
• Give details of when you need the car.
• Request information about the cost.

Question 3: Online Shopping

You recently purchased some clothes online but are not satisfied with your purchase. Write a letter to the company.

• Give details of your purchase.
• Describe the problem.
• Explain why you need a replacement urgently.

Informal Letters

Question 4: Moving to a New House

You have recently moved to a different house. Write a letter to an English-speaking friend.

• Explain why you have moved.
• Describe your new apartment.
• Invite your friend to visit you.

Question 5: An Engagement Celebration

You have just learned that your friend has recently become engaged. Write a letter to your friend.

• Explain how you found out.
• Say how you feel about the news.
• Arrange a meeting to celebrate.

Other General Training Letter Topics

• Delaying your move into a rented apartment.
• Saying goodbye to your neighbours.
• Responding to a job offer from a friend.
• Asking your manager for a salary increase.
• Finding a part-time job while studying abroad.
• Inviting someone to a photography exhibition.

Preparation tip: Practise choosing the correct tone and opening and closing expressions for each letter type. Make sure you address every bullet point in the question.

Recent IELTS Speaking Questions – November 2026

The IELTS Speaking test consists of three parts. Candidates are assessed on fluency and coherence, lexical resource, grammatical range and accuracy, and pronunciation.

The following topics are useful for candidates preparing for the September–December 2026 question cycle.

IELTS Speaking Part 1: Recent Questions

Part 1 includes questions about familiar topics such as your home, work, studies, interests and everyday activities.

Topic 1: Accommodation and Home

1. Do you live in a house or a flat?
2. Which is your favourite room?
3. Can you describe your favourite room?
4. If you could improve one thing in your home, what would it be?
5. How long have you lived there?
6. What do you like most about your home?
7. Can you describe the view from your windows?
8. Do you plan to live there in the future?

Topic 2: Work and Study

1. Do you work or study?
2. What is your major?
3. What are your plans after finishing your studies?
4. Would you like to change your major?
5. Do you prefer studying in the morning or afternoon?
6. How much time do you spend studying each week?
7. What changes would you like to see in your school?

Topic 3: Advertisements

1. What kinds of advertisements do you watch?
2. Where can you see advertisements?
3. Have you ever bought something because of an advertisement?
4. Do you watch advertisements from beginning to end?

Topic 4: Politeness

1. Are you a polite person?
2. Do you think people should always be polite?
3. Who taught you to be polite?
4. Have people become less or more polite over time?

Topic 5: Recycling and the Environment

1. How do you usually deal with your household garbage?
2. Do you sort your rubbish before throwing it away?
3. What do you do when you see rubbish on the street?
4. Did you learn about recycling as a child?

Other Speaking Part 1 Topics

• Handwritten letters
• Emails and digital communication
• Visiting relatives
• Keeping things tidy
• Taking photographs
• Living arrangements

IELTS Speaking Part 2: Recent Cue Cards

In Speaking Part 2, candidates receive a topic card and have one minute to prepare before speaking for up to two minutes.

Practise the following cue cards using relevant personal experiences, specific examples and appropriate vocabulary.

Cue Card 1: Describe a Time When You Worked in a Group

You should say:

• What you did
• Who you worked with
• What problems you faced
• And explain why you worked in the group

Cue Card 2: Describe a Happy Person You Know

You should say:

• Who this person is
• What qualities this person has
• Why you think this person is so happy
• And explain how you feel about this person

Cue Card 3: Describe a Person You Know Who Is Interested in History

You should say:

• Who this person is
• How you know this person
• What kind of history this person is interested in
• And explain why this person likes history

Cue Card 4: Describe a Person You Met Only Once Recently and Would Like to Know More About

You should say:

• Who this person is
• When you met him or her
• Why you want to know more about this person
• And explain how you feel about him or her

Cue Card 5: Describe Something That Was Broken in Your Home and Then Repaired

You should say:

• What it was
• How it was broken
• How you got it repaired
• And explain how you felt about it

Cue Card 6: Describe a Person in Your Life Who Really Likes Taking Photographs

You should say:

• Who this person is
• When and where this person takes photographs
• Why you think this person likes taking photographs
• And explain how you feel about this person

Cue Card 7: Describe an Experience When You Interviewed a Famous Person

You should say:

• Who this person was
• When and where you interviewed this person
• What you asked or discussed during the interview
• And explain how you felt about the experience

Cue Card 8: Describe a Plan That You Have Changed Recently

You should say:

• When this happened
• What made you change your plan
• What your new plan was
• And explain how you felt about the change

IELTS Speaking Part 3: Follow-up Discussion Questions

Speaking Part 3 involves more abstract questions connected to the topic discussed in Part 2. Candidates should develop their opinions, explain reasons and provide examples.

Topic: Happiness

1. What makes a person truly happy in life?
2. Is money necessary for happiness?
3. Is happiness more important than career success?
4. How can someone’s mood affect other people?

Topic: Friendship and Relationships

1. How do people make friends in your country?
2. What qualities make true friends?
3. Is it important to have similar hobbies?
4. What should people avoid discussing when meeting someone for the first time?

Topic: Technology and Repairs

1. Do IT-related jobs receive more recognition in society?
2. Is product quality worse than it was in the past?
3. What things do people usually repair themselves?
4. Why do people prefer taking their mobile phones to specialist repair shops?

Topic: Photography and Social Media

1. What kinds of photographs do people enjoy taking?
2. Is it acceptable to take photographs anywhere?
3. Should people ask permission before including strangers in photographs?
4. Why do people share their photographs on social media?

Topic: History and Education

1. Should children learn history from an early age?
2. Who should teach children about history?
3. Why is it important to understand how people lived in the past?
4. Should students learn ancient history before modern history?

Recent IELTS Listening Topics and Practice Questions

The IELTS Listening test contains four sections and 40 questions. Candidates hear conversations and monologues involving everyday situations, education and academic subjects.

The following topics are drawn from reported Listening collections and related practice scenarios.

Listening Section 1: Everyday Conversations

Section 1 generally involves two speakers discussing an everyday situation.

Important practice topics include:

• Film club membership enquiries.
• Apartment rental enquiries.
• Holiday accommodation bookings.
• Birthday party arrangements.
• Holiday job applications.
• Insurance claims.
• Motorhome rental enquiries.
• Museum tours and visitor information.

Example Practice Questions

1. What is the membership fee for joining the film club?
2. Which facilities are available in the accommodation?
3. What date has been selected for the party?
4. What documents are required for the job application?
5. What information does the customer need to provide for the insurance claim?

Listening Section 2: Public Information and Presentations

Section 2 generally involves one speaker providing information about a public facility, service or activity.

Important practice topics include:

• Community centre layouts.
• Bookshop layouts and services.
• Railway station information.
• Nature reserve educational programmes.
• Cooking school facilities.
• Tourist attractions.
• Charity programmes.
• Supermarket staff induction.

Example Practice Questions

1. Which building is located opposite the main entrance?
2. Where can visitors find the information desk?
3. Which facility is available to members?
4. What time does the guided tour begin?
5. Which activities are included in the programme?

Listening Section 3: Academic Discussions

Section 3 usually involves two or more speakers discussing an academic assignment, research project or university-related subject.

Important practice topics include:

• Archaeology course consultations.
• Child learning research.
• Geography teaching practice.
• Dissertation research on water pumps.
• Sports physiotherapy studies.
• Internship options.
• University assignments and research projects.

Example Practice Questions

1. What research method do the students intend to use?
2. Which problem did the researchers encounter?
3. What does the tutor recommend changing?
4. Which topic will the students investigate first?

Listening Section 4: Academic Lectures

Section 4 is generally a monologue about an academic subject.

Important practice topics include:

• African art.
• Dolphin research.
• Elephant behaviour and farms.
• Foot injuries and sports physiotherapy.
• Water pump technology.
• Environmental science.
• Human geography.

Preparation tip: Practise note completion, sentence completion, multiple choice, map labelling and matching questions. Pay attention to synonyms and paraphrasing, as the information in the recording may differ from the wording in the questions.

The example Listening questions above are original practice questions based on the listed scenarios, not verbatim examination questions.

Recent IELTS Academic Reading Topics and Passages

IELTS Academic Reading contains three passages with a range of question types. Topics may cover science, history, psychology, education, technology, business and the natural environment.

The following topics are useful for developing reading comprehension and vocabulary.

Reading Passage 1: Science, Nature and History

• Australia’s cane toad problem.
• Animal intelligence and parrot communication.
• Antarctic research.
• Coral reef ecosystems.
• The history of coffee.
• A river revealing its Roman past.

Reading Passage 2: Society, Business and Education

• Corporate Social Responsibility.
• Keeping healthy at work.
• Practical learning in the classroom.
• Linguistic diversity.
• Internal promotion versus external hiring.
• Future food supplies.

Reading Passage 3: Psychology, Research and Technology

• Jean Piaget and child development.
• Memory champions.
• Insect decision-making.
• Risk-taking behaviour.
• Desertification.
• The history of cartography and map-making.

Important IELTS Reading Question Types

Preparation tip: Improve your ability to recognise synonyms, identify keywords, understand paragraph structure and locate evidence without reading every sentence repeatedly.

The passage topics above are drawn from reported and reconstructed practice collections. They should not be treated as confirmation of the exact passages in upcoming IELTS examinations.

Most Important IELTS Topics to Prepare in 2026

Although IELTS questions can vary between examinations, preparing a broad range of common subject areas can improve your confidence in all four modules.

The following topics are useful for both Academic and General Training candidates.

These topics represent useful preparation priorities rather than predictions of future examination questions.

How to Prepare for Recent IELTS Exam Questions

Practising recent IELTS questions can help you become familiar with different examination topics, but memorising answers is not an effective way to improve your performance.

For better results, combine recent question practice with structured preparation in all four modules.

IELTS Writing Preparation

Practise different Writing Task 2 question types, including:

• Opinion essays.
• Discussion essays.
• Advantages and disadvantages essays.
• Problem and solution essays.
• Two-part questions.

For Academic Task 1, practise describing line graphs, bar charts, pie charts, tables, maps and process diagrams.

For General Training Task 1, practise formal, semi-formal and informal letters.

Focus on answering the question, developing relevant ideas, using accurate vocabulary and organising paragraphs logically.

IELTS Speaking Preparation

Practise answering Part 1 questions naturally and developing detailed responses in Part 2 and Part 3.

Build vocabulary around common IELTS topics, prepare relevant personal experiences and practise explaining your opinions with examples.

Avoid memorising complete answers. Instead, learn how to develop ideas confidently and communicate naturally.

IELTS Listening Preparation

Complete regular listening exercises and full practice tests.

Develop your ability to recognise paraphrasing, follow conversations, identify key information and understand different English accents.

Pay particular attention to spelling, numbers, dates and word limits.

IELTS Reading Preparation

Practise different reading question types under timed conditions.

Improve your ability to scan for specific details, recognise synonyms, understand the main idea of paragraphs and locate supporting evidence.

Develop a time-management strategy that allows you to complete all three passages within 60 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions About Recent IELTS Questions

1. Where can I find the latest IELTS exam questions?

You can use recent test-taker reports and IELTS practice collections to prepare for Writing Task 1 and Task 2, Speaking Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3, and Listening and Reading.

2. Are recent IELTS questions repeated in future examinations?

Some topics and question prompts have appeared in multiple examinations. However, there is no guarantee that a particular question will appear in your test. It is better to prepare a wide range of topics instead of relying on a few recalled questions.

3. Should I memorise answers to recent IELTS Speaking questions?

No. Prepare relevant vocabulary, ideas and personal examples. Practise developing natural answers rather than memorising complete responses.

4. Which IELTS Writing Task 2 topics should I prepare?

Education, technology, employment, environment, tourism, health, family, culture and social issues are useful areas for essay practice.

5. Are these official IELTS examination questions?

No. These questions and topics are based on publicly available candidate reports and reconstructed practice material. IELTS Worldly is an independent IELTS preparation platform and is not affiliated with IELTS, Cambridge University Press, the British Council or IDP.

6. How often should I practise IELTS questions?

Practise regularly throughout your preparation. Complete timed Writing tasks, Speaking exercises, Listening tests and Reading passages to identify your weaknesses and measure your progress.

Prepare for Your IELTS Examination with IELTS Worldly

Preparing for IELTS requires more than practising a collection of recalled questions. You need to understand the examination format, improve your English language skills and develop effective strategies for each module.

At IELTS Worldly, you can access structured IELTS preparation resources, free English lessons, practice tests, vocabulary materials and useful examination strategies to help you work towards your target band score.

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• Basic to Advanced English for IELTS: Improve your grammar, vocabulary and essential English skills.
• IELTS Listening Practice Tests: Develop listening comprehension and question-solving skills.
• IELTS Reading Practice Tests: Improve reading speed, accuracy and time management.
• IELTS Writing Preparation: Learn essay structures, task requirements and effective writing strategies.
• IELTS Speaking Practice: Develop fluency, vocabulary and confidence.
• IELTS Vocabulary: Expand your vocabulary for common and advanced examination topics.

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