IELTS Writing Task 2 with sample answer.
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Some people think that studying history is a waste of time while others think it is essential to learn.
Discuss both sides and give your opinion.
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
Sample Answer:
History, at its simplest, is the study of past events. It could be an account of a nation’s heroic event or of great man. It might be the study of a particular epoch or of a general situation at a given time in the past. However, some people consider that the study of history is not worth anything, while others believe it is worthwhile to study history. To my way of thinking, history performs an essential role in our present to mould a better future.
To begin with, the antagonists of history argue that history is worth nothing. They consider history to be irrelevant in our present life or in future. According to them, studying history means memorizing dates, names, and facts and this information is not congruent with the need of our present situation. Apart from that, people do not learn from history as they often do the same mistakes again and again, which shows the irrelevance of studying history for the future.
The proponents of history, on the other hand, argue that history has profound effect on our daily life. Studying history helps us to comprehend the present situation. History demonstrates us how we have changed over period, how human society has emerged and progressed. It shows us how the fashion and way of life of a society or of a nation have changed, although the fundamental principles, culture, and tradition have remained the same. Most importantly, history teaches us what to retain and what to discard. In my opinion, history inspires for moral contemplation. Studying the autobiography of great individuals or the stories of events in the past allows the students of history to examine their moral sense, to sharpen it so as to combat against the complexities individuals face in their difficult time.
In pithy, according to an ancient adage, “history is philosophy teaching by example”. People can learn many precious lessons from studying history. All things considered, it would reasonable enough to conclude that studying history is essential for our daily life and for our future.