In this paper, a series of true triaxial tests indoor with acoustic emission mornitoring were conducted and the characteristics of acoustic emission rate and energy releasing rate in the section adjacent to failure were gained. According to the different characteristics of acoustic emission rate, we divided the events rate into three types which were main shock, foreshock-main shock and cluster shocks. And then, a prediction method for hard rock was put forward according to different events rate types based on the trends of AE signals in the section adjacent to failure for hard rock.