C1 LEVEL

Historic Signs

C1 Worksheet

Vocabulary

  1. Faded
    Having lost colour or brightness over time.

  2. Heritage
    The history, traditions, and cultural assets of a society.

  3. Craftsmanship
    The skill in making things by hand.

  4. Speculation
    The act of forming a theory or guess without firm evidence.

  5. Ornamental
    Designed to be decorative rather than functional.

  6. Preserve
    To protect and maintain something so it is not lost or damaged.

  7. Archives
    A collection of historical records or documents.

  8. Relics
    Objects from the past that have historical or cultural significance.

  9. Obsession
    A strong interest in or focus on something.

  10. Commemorate
    To honour and remember something important from the past.

Grammar Points

  1. Mixed Conditionals
    Used to describe hypothetical situations that connect past and present (e.g., "If these signs had been better maintained, they would still be visible today.").

  2. Cleft Sentences
    Used for emphasis (e.g., "What makes ghost signs fascinating is their connection to history.").

  3. Passive Voice (Advanced Forms)
    Used to shift focus (e.g., "Many ghost signs have been lost over time.").

  4. Relative Clauses with Prepositions
    Used to give extra information with formality (e.g., "The building in which this sign was painted is over 100 years old.").

  5. Nominalisation
    Turning verbs into nouns to make writing more formal (e.g., "The preservation of ghost signs is essential.").

  6. Inversion for Emphasis
    A literary or formal structure (e.g., "Never before have these signs been so highly valued.").

Activities

Activity 1
Writing

Instructions
Write a short essay (150–200 words) explaining why preserving historical artefacts like ghost signs is important. Use at least four of the vocabulary words from the list.

Guiding questions:

  • Why do people want to save ghost signs?

  • How do ghost signs help us understand the past?

  • What could happen if we don’t preserve historical artefacts?

Activity 2
Fill in the Blank (Mixed Conditionals)

Instructions
Complete the sentences using the correct mixed conditional form.

  1. If people ______ (preserve) more ghost signs, they ______ (still be) visible today.

  2. If Sam Roberts ______ (not start) his research, many ghost signs ______ (remain) undiscovered.

  3. If Historic England ______ (launch) the map earlier, more signs ______ (be) recorded by now.

Activity 3
Role Play

Instructions
Work in pairs. One student is a tour guide, and the other is a visitor. The visitor asks questions about a ghost sign and the guide explains the history of it. After practicing, switch roles!

Questions

  1. What is Historic England’s role in recording ghost signs?

  2. How do ghost signs provide insight into social history?

  3. What other old things in cities should be preserved?