Table of Contents
IELTS Speaking Part 1 Topic History
Sample Answer 1
1. Have you ever been to historical museums?
Yes, I have. I think it’s a good way to learn about a city’s development or like the history and culture of a certain region. Because whenever I visit a place or another country that I’ve never been to before, I think history museum could be a must for me. Even though I’m not that interested in historical events and stuff, you could find a lot of other things in historical museums as well, like the culture, how people live their life, or how the city developed, so things like that.
2. Do you like history?
I mean, now I’m still not a big fan of it. I guess it’s because I just don’t care that much about history. I want to focus more on my present and also focus on the future. But I know that learning about history could be very an efficient and effective way for you to accumulate quite a lot of experience rather than actually going through it in your own life. Still, it’s just hard for me to get interested in it. So I wouldn’t say I like history.
3. When was the last time you read about history?
It’s hard to say. I mean, now I learned about some knowledge through mainly through some informative videos posted on the internet, uploaded by some reliable or credible like professionals. So, but if I’m not mistaken, I might read something about history when I did my dissertation. back when I was in my postgraduate study. At that time, I’ve researched some historical background of the topic that I would like to dig deeper. So that’s probably the last time when I read about history.
4. Did you like history when you were young?
When I was young, I wasn’t much of a big fan of history because at that time I didn’t learn it because of my own interest. It’s mostly because it’s a compulsory course in my middle school and I learned it from textbooks and sometimes it could be really exam-oriented. So memorizing those events, the historical significance of it and the actual dates of it could really give me a headache. So I wasn’t into it at that time.
| Word / Phrase | CEFR | Type | Definition | Example Sentence |
| compulsory course | B2 | Collocation | A subject or class that students are required to study; not optional or elective | History was a compulsory course in middle school, which meant she had to study it regardless of interest. |
| exam-oriented | B2 | Adjective | Focused primarily on passing exams rather than developing genuine understanding or interest | The very exam-oriented teaching style made her associate history with stress rather than curiosity. |
| give me a headache | B2 | Phrase | To cause someone stress, confusion, or frustration; to be mentally taxing or tiresome | Memorizing hundreds of dates and historical events used to give her a real headache at school. |
| credible | B2 | Adjective | Able to be believed or trusted; reliable and convincing as a source of information | She prefers to learn from credible professionals rather than random sources on the internet. |
| if I’m not mistaken | B2 | Phrase | Used to introduce something you believe to be true, while acknowledging some uncertainty | If she’s not mistaken, the last time she read about history was during her postgraduate research. |
| dissertation | B2 | Noun | A long piece of academic writing on a particular subject, especially for a university degree | She read about historical background while working on her dissertation during postgraduate study. |
| postgraduate study | B2 | Collocation | Academic education pursued after completing an undergraduate degree, such as a Master’s or PhD | During her postgraduate study, she had to research historical context for her research topic. |
| dig deeper | B2 | Phrase | To investigate or explore a subject more thoroughly; to go beyond the surface level | She wanted to dig deeper into the historical background of her dissertation topic. |
| accumulate | B2 | Verb | To gradually gather or collect a large amount of something over time | Studying history allows people to accumulate wisdom and lessons from past generations. |
Sample Answer 2
1. Have you ever been to historical museums?
Yeah, 100%. I’ve been to tons of historical museums before and generally I often visit the museum of a city where I travel. I think it’s the best way to dive into its story, knowing its people, its culture, its urban planning. It can be an enlightening experience.
2. Do you like history?
Honestly, I’m never a fan of history because it happened hundreds of thousands of years ago and it feels disconnected from modern life. I prefer to focus on modern tech and innovations nowadays because they are shaping our future.
3. When was the last time you read about history?
To be honest with you, I can’t even remember. I don’t usually seek out history unless it sparks my interest. Though I did read about Oppenheimer and atomic bombs after watching that movie. It gave me a whole new perspective on that tragic event.
4. Did you like history when you were young?
Honestly, I was never interested in history when I was younger. I was all about excitement and bright colors and history just seemed like black and white pictures and endless tribal wars. It never grabbed my attention.
| Word / Phrase | CEFR | Type | Definition | Example Sentence |
| feel disconnected from | B2 | Phrase | To feel separate from or unrelated to something; to lack a sense of connection or relevance | She finds history feels disconnected from modern life because the events occurred so long ago. |
| shaping our future | B2 | Phrase | Influencing or determining what the future will look like; having a lasting impact on what comes next | She prefers studying modern technology because innovations are actively shaping our future. |
| grabbed my attention | B2 | Phrase | To capture someone’s interest suddenly and hold it; to attract and engage the mind | History never grabbed her attention as a child because it felt too distant and dry. |
| seek out | B2 | Phrasal verb | To actively look for or try to find something specific; to deliberately search for | She doesn’t usually seek out history content unless a specific topic genuinely sparks her interest. |
| sparks my interest | B2 | Phrase | To suddenly trigger or ignite curiosity or enthusiasm for a topic or activity | It was the Oppenheimer film that sparks her interest in reading more about the atomic era. |
| a whole new perspective | B2 | Phrase | A completely different way of understanding or thinking about something | Reading about Oppenheimer after watching the film gave her a whole new perspective on that period. |
| dive into | B2 | Phrasal verb | To begin exploring something enthusiastically and in depth; to immerse yourself in a topic | Visiting a city’s history museum is the best way to dive into its story and culture. |
| urban planning | B2 | Collocation | The process of designing and organising the use of land, infrastructure, and buildings in cities | History museums often reveal how a city’s urban planning has evolved over centuries. |
| enlightening | C1 | Adjective | Providing new understanding or insight; helping someone learn or see something in a clearer light | Visiting historical museums can be an enlightening experience that broadens your understanding of culture. |
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