"This season's cue cards": what these lists really are

Every few months, Facebook groups and websites fill up with posts like "IELTS Cue Cards: January to April Predictions" or "Recent Cue Cards in Bangladesh". Some students spend all their time memorising answers to these lists. Some even pay for "guaranteed" or "leaked" questions. Let's be honest about what these lists are, and how to use them sensibly.

Why this matters

If you rely only on prediction lists, you might walk into the test with memorised answers that don't fit your actual card. And if you pay someone for "leaked" questions, you could lose your money, or worse, put your test result at risk.

What these lists really are

They are unofficial. IELTS doesn't publish its question bank, and test materials are confidential.
Most lists come from candidates who remember their questions after the test, plus guesses by teachers and websites.
Some cards on these lists may come up. Many won't. Nobody can guarantee which card you'll get.
Anyone selling "leaked" or "guaranteed" IELTS questions should be treated as a scam. Stay away. Cheating can lead to serious consequences, including your result being cancelled.

How to use topic lists the smart way

Use them as practice topics, not as an exam answer key.

Notice the categories. Most cards fall into a few groups: people, places, objects, events, activities, and media.
Practise the category, not the exact card. If you can describe a person well, you can handle almost any person card.
Link cards to your story bank. Use the method from lesson S29.
Never memorise full answers. The examiner is trained to notice memorised speech (lesson S09).

Original practice cards by category

These are original practice cards, written for this channel. They are not predictions and not real test questions.

Person: Describe a family member you spend a lot of time with.
Place: Describe a place in your city that has changed a lot.
Object: Describe a gift you received that was useful.
Event: Describe a time you celebrated something with friends.
Activity: Describe a hobby you started recently.
Media: Describe a video or film that made you think.
Experience: Describe a time you made a difficult decision.
Future: Describe a skill you would like to learn in the future.

For each card, imagine the usual bullet points: who/what, when/where, what happened or what it's like, and how you feel or why.

A video plan for Makshud

If you make a "this season's topics" video, follow these rules:

Say clearly at the start: "These are not official questions. Nobody knows exactly what you'll get."
Never use words like "leaked", "confirmed" or "guaranteed" in the title or thumbnail.
Present topics as categories to practise, with tips for each.
Use your own original wording, not copied cards.

Honest note

The best preparation for Part 2 is being able to talk about anything, not memorising 50 answers. Students who practise the skill often feel calmer, because a surprise card doesn't scare them.

Your task today

Pick three cards from the original list above, one from a category you find hard. Prepare 1-minute notes and speak for 2 minutes on each.