History Made at the VMAs

B1 · Intermediate48 minIn the NewsAdded 29 September 2026Lesson 12 of 12 · Free

Aims

Pop stars break records and celebrate historic wins at the annual music video awards.

The lesson, stage by stage

  1. News10 min

    In the news: The story

    Read a 142-word news story: Pop Stars Break Records at Major Music Video Awards

    The annual MTV Video Music Awards took place this week to celebrate the biggest songs and music videos of the year. Taylor Swift set an impressive new record by becoming the most successful artist in the history of the show. She won several major prizes during the lively ceremony, including the award for video of the year. Other music icons also celebrated unforgettable achievements during the night. Madonna won artist of the year and sang an energetic duet on stage alongside younger stars. K-pop star Lisa made history as well, managing to achieve a historic win as the first Asian solo artist to take home the best pop award. Female artists dominated the entire evening after voters chose to nominate them in almost every leading category. The broadcast also included a moving musical tribute to remember beloved pop legends from the past.

  2. Vocabulary8 min

    Vocabulary: Words in the news

    6 items

  3. Discussion10 min

    Discussion: Award show moments

    2 discussion questions

    • Do you enjoy watching a big award ceremony on TV, or do you prefer to just check the winners online later?
    • Taylor Swift set another historic record this week. What makes some pop stars stay popular for so many years?
  4. Discussion10 min

    Discussion: Music you love

    2 discussion questions

    • If you could choose two completely different musicians to perform a duet together, who would you pick?
    • What is a creative or personal project you would really like to achieve this year?
  5. Discussion10 min

    Discussion: Honouring the greats

    2 discussion questions

    • When music judges decide to nominate songs for prizes, should they focus on artistic quality or how popular the track is?
    • Why do you think it is meaningful for younger artists to perform a tribute to classic musicians?

Target vocabulary

In a Tuton account these words become your student's vocabulary deck, so they come back in practice between lessons.

record
the highest or best result ever achieved in an activity
ceremony
a formal public event that celebrates a special occasion
duet
a musical performance by two singers or musicians together
achieve
to successfully reach a goal through effort and work
nominate
to officially suggest someone for a prize or position
tribute
an action or performance showing deep respect and honour

This plan comes from the Culture course in the Tuton library. Browse all free lesson plans.