> 山下先生のせんこうはれきしでしたか。

To answer the above sentence, would the sentences below be acceptable?

  1. はい、そうでした。
  2. はい、そうです。

Is 1 the only acceptable answer since the question is in past tense?
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2018-12-14T23:42:10.053
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2018-12-15T02:31:52.110
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word-choice tense
そうです or そうでした for sentences that end with でしたか
I would say

> はい、そうです。

because it means `Yes, that is correct`. Answering with `はい、そうでした` may be ok
but it sounds a bit strange to me as it sounds like `Yes, that was correct`.

Other answers I may hear people say would be

> はい、れきしでした
>
> はい、れきしです
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2018-12-14T23:56:36.030
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Both are possible, and the choice will depend on the context and the mood.
(Why is the first question in the past tense?) If you are objectively saying
"Yes (that _is_ right)", そうです is the natural choice. But そうでした is also fine in
the following situations:

  * When you are vividly recalling him at some point in the past (e.g., he is already a dead person and you remember the lecture he gave to you)
  * When you want to somehow emphasize his current major is no longer history
  * When the question reminded you of that fact ([modal-た](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/a/40888/5010))
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2018-12-15T00:30:50.537
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answer