The Tattoo I Never Planned
Grammar: Gerunds and infinitives — advanced patterns (stop doing vs stop to do, try doing vs try to do,
A Level 4 English lesson exploring lifestyle.
What's in this lesson
A Level 4 (upper intermediate) ESL lesson on lifestyle, practising gerunds and infinitives — advanced patterns (stop doing vs stop to do, try doing vs try to do,. The worksheet has a reading, target vocabulary, a grammar reference with practice and discussion questions.
From the reading: The Tattoo I Never Planned
Ruby Eastwood never wanted a tattoo. She had never thought about getting one, never visited a studio, never looked at tattoo artists online. Then, one messy weekend, her cousin suggested marking the occasion with something permanent. They were tired and not entirely sober. Her cousin did it herself, in her bedroom, with a needle and a pot of ink. The result was small, slightly unclear, and impossible to miss when Ruby looked at her arm.
Vocabulary
- commit to
- draw to
- point at
- work out
Grammar: Gerunds and Infinitives
- stop + gerund
- She stopped worrying about the tattoo. — quit an activity permanently
- stop + infinitive
- She stopped to look at a tattoo artist's page. — pause for a new purpose
Discussion questions
- Have you ever done something impulsive that you later had to explain?
- Is it ever better to keep a mistake than to fix it?
- What do tattoos say about the person wearing them?
The Tattoo I Never Planned
Grammar: Gerunds and infinitives — advanced patterns (stop doing vs stop to do, try doing vs try to do,
What's in this lesson:
Full lesson plan with reading, grammar, vocabulary, and discussion.
Sign up to access full lesson plans
Start with a free trial — 5 lesson generations included
Get Started Free