INTERMEDIATE English Lesson: From Ink to Icon: Kat Von D Redefined the Tattoo Industry

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Always remember that during the lesson we are continuing our RP practice to be able to improve our pronunciation and diction.

These English lessons contain the following six sections.

                            1. New Vocabulary Section
                            2. Reading and Pronunciation Section
                            3. Questions Section
                            4. Video Listening Section
                            5. Grammar 1 Section
                            6. Grammar 2 Section

1). NEW VOCABULARY SECTION:

Here are five advanced / intermediate English words for an advanced / intermediate English student, along with their meanings and example sentences:

    • Here are 10 interesting facts about American tattoo artist Kat Von D, along with grammar questions related to each fact:

      1. Fact: Kat Von D was born on March 8, 1982, in Montemorelos, Nuevo León, Mexico.

        • Grammar Question: Identify the proper nouns in this sentence.

      2. Fact: She gained fame through her work as a tattoo artist on the reality TV show “Miami Ink.”

        • Grammar Question: What is the tense of the verb “gained” in this sentence?

      3. Fact: Kat Von D launched her own tattoo shop called “High Voltage Tattoo” in Los Angeles in 2007.

        • Grammar Question: What type of sentence is this (simple, compound, complex)?

      4. Fact: Her TV show, “LA Ink,” premiered in 2007 and showcased her tattooing skills and personal life.

        • Grammar Question: Which words in this sentence are in the past tense?

      5. Fact: Kat Von D is also a successful entrepreneur with her own vegan cosmetics line.

        • Grammar Question: What is the function of the word “with” in this sentence?

      6. Fact: She set a Guinness World Record for the most tattoos given by a single person in 24 hours.

        • Grammar Question: Identify the prepositional phrases in this sentence.

      7. Fact: Kat Von D has published several books, including “High Voltage Tattoo” and “The Tattoo Chronicles.”

        • Grammar Question: What is the purpose of the commas in this sentence?

      8. Fact: She is a classically trained pianist and often shares her musical talents with her fans.

        • Grammar Question: What is the subject of this sentence?

      9. Fact: Kat Von D married musician Rafael Reyes, known as Leafar Seyer, in 2018.

        • Grammar Question: What role do the commas play in this sentence?

      10. Fact: In addition to her artistic endeavors, she is an animal rights activist and promotes cruelty-free products.

        • Grammar Question: Identify the conjunctions in this sentence.

2). READING & PRONUNCIATION SECTION:

Kat Von D, whose full name is Katherine von Drachenberg, has become one of the most recognized tattoo artists in the world. She has been celebrated for her unique artistic style and her ability to bring intricate designs to life on skin. Over the years, Kat has built a successful career, having appeared on the reality television show “Miami Ink” before launching her own series, “LA Ink,” which has captivated audiences since its premiere. She has also expanded her creative endeavours by releasing a line of vegan beauty products that have gained a loyal following. Throughout her career, Kat has maintained a strong presence in the tattoo industry, and her influence has been felt globally as she has inspired many aspiring tattooists with her exceptional skills and artistic vision.

3). QUESTION SECTION:

              1. Identify all of the different grammar tenses within the above text.
VOCABULARY: Now discuss any new vocabulary.  https://translate.google.co.uk/

4). VIDEO LISTENING SECTION:

Questions:

  1.  What did she mean when she said, “I am going to prep my eye lid”
  2. Can you name the parts of your face around your eyes?
  3. What is “smudge” as in a smudge brush?
  4. What does the verb to blend mean?
  5. What are lashes?

5). GRAMMAR SECTION ONE:

How to pronounce the ‘ed’ sounds in regular verbs.

‘ED’ practice text

In this text remember that we are practicing our RP but at the same time we are going to practice how to pronounce the ‘ed’ in regular verbs. Here is an explanation.

In English, the pronunciation of the past tense suffix “-ed” varies and is determined by the final sound of the root verb:

1. /t/ Sound: We use this sound when the root verb ends in voiceless consonants (except for /t/), such as /p/, /k/, /s/, /ʃ/ (sh), /ʧ / (ch), and /f/. For example:
– “walk” becomes “walked” and is pronounced as /wa: kt/
– “laugh” becomes “laughed” and is pronounced as /laugh: ft/

2. /d/ Sound: We use this sound with root verbs ending in voiced sounds, which include all vowel sounds and voiced consonants (except for /d/), such as /b/, /g/, /v/, / z/, etc. For example:
– “call” becomes “called” and is pronounced as /ca lld/
– “rob” becomes “robbed” and is pronounced as /rob bd/

3. /ɪd/ or just /d/ Sound: We use this sound distinctly when the root verb ends in either a /t/ or a /d/. This additional syllable makes it easier to pronounce. For example:
– “want” becomes “wanted” and is pronounced as /ˈwant: id/
– “need” becomes “needed” and is pronounced as /ˈneed: id/

6). GRAMMAR SECTION TWO:

Here is a comprehensive guide to the grammar rules for all of the perfect tenses in English, along with examples:

Present Perfect Progressive Tense

Rule: The present perfect tense is used to describe an action that occurred at an unspecified time in the past or an action that began in the past and continues in the present. It is formed by using the present tense of the auxiliary verb “have” (have/has) followed by the past participle of the main verb.

Structure:

  • Subject + have/has + past participle

Examples:

  • I have eaten breakfast. (Action at an unspecified time in the past)
  • She has lived here for five years. (Action that began in the past and continues in the present)

Past Perfect Tense

Rule: The past perfect tense is used to describe an action that was completed before another action or time in the past. It is formed by using the past tense of the auxiliary verb “have” (had) followed by the past participle of the main verb.

Structure:

  • Subject + had + past participle

Examples:

  • I had finished my homework before the movie started. (Action completed before another action)
  • They had left by the time I arrived. (Action completed before another action)

Future Perfect Tense

Rule: The future perfect tense is used to describe an action that will be completed before a specific time in the future. It is formed by using “will have” followed by the past participle of the main verb.

Structure:

  • Subject + will have + past participle

Examples:

  • I will have finished my project by tomorrow. (Action that will be completed before a specific future time)
  • She will have travelled to five countries by the end of the year. (Action that will be completed before a specific future time)

Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Rule: The present perfect continuous tense is used to describe an action that started in the past and has continued up until now, often with an emphasis on the duration. It is formed by using “have/has been” followed by the present participle (verb + ing).

Structure:

  • Subject + have/has been + present participle

Examples:

  • I have been studying for three hours. (Action started in the past and continues up to now with emphasis on duration)
  • She has been working here since June. (Action started in the past and continues up to now with emphasis on duration)

Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Rule: The past perfect continuous tense is used to describe an action that was ongoing in the past and was completed before another past action. It is formed by using “had been” followed by the present participle (verb + ing).

Structure:

  • Subject + had been + present participle

Examples:

  • I had been reading for two hours when the power went out. (Ongoing action in the past completed before another past action)
  • They had been living in Paris for a year before they moved to London. (Ongoing action in the past completed before another past action)

Future Perfect Continuous Tense

Rule: The future perfect continuous tense is used to describe an ongoing action that will be completed before a specific future time, often with an emphasis on the duration. It is formed by using “will have been” followed by the present participle (verb + ing).

Structure:

  • Subject + will have been + present participle

Examples:

  • By next month, I will have been working here for five years. (Ongoing action that will be completed before a specific future time with emphasis on duration)
  • They will have been traveling for 24 hours by the time they arrive. (Ongoing action that will be completed before a specific future time with emphasis on duration)

These rules and examples should help you understand and use the perfect tenses in English accurately.

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