Shadowing Practice: The Symptoms of Overconsumers - Learn English Speaking with Video

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This is how I know you're probably over -consuming.

In today's episode of Under the Influence, we need to be brutally honest with ourselves or else we'll blink

and we'll have spent years in clothes we don't even like and have spent thousands of pounds on things we never needed.

We'll be even more confused about our personal style and the planet's gonna be worse off for it.

Throughout today's video, I'll be sharing my telltale signs of over -consumers but don't worry, if you feel called out,

Hopefully by the end of this video, you'll have some tips that help you make real change.

I'm Em and I'm extremely passionate about getting us all to think more critically when we engage with media online,

especially when it comes to influencer culture.

If you're interested in being de -influenced daily, you're more than welcome to join my free newsletter under the influence on Substack

or follow me on all the other platforms as Ordinary Em.

So how do I know that you're probably over -consuming?

Well, I've got six telltale signs and the first one is that you don't experiment with what you have

You just buy the whole trending outfit

Now this is such a waste of money for two reasons

One being that you probably already have clothes in your wardrobe that can curate a similar -ish outfit or style or vibe

But they feel more you and probably fit better on you

And number two, if you only buy these clothes with

that one outfit in mind

you're probably never going to wear them again unless you repeat the entire outfit

now i am outfit repeating's number one fan

but i think it's fair to say that

if you are buying entire outfits

because they're trending well maybe you're not a fan of outfit repeating

now i understand why people do this in the first place

because i've done it too you're uncertain of your style

you want to feel fashionable you want to feel put together

so you just buy it all it's a very simple solution to a rather frustrating problem

that a lot of us come across you know in our lives it's also

so convenient when influencers link every single item

and maybe throw in a little discount code for you as well it literally couldn't be easier

but you end up with two things you probably don't want one clothes you don't know how to style individually

and two an outfit

that looks like everybody else you're not going to find your personal style by imitating others

but more on how to fix that later

because i've been guilty of the second telltale sign as well number two you buy clothes

because they're cheap on sale

or a bargain we all love a good bargain no one more than me

i live for the reduced section yellow sticker the adrenaline

that goes through my body when i see that yellow sticker

and it tastes so much better when it's like a tenth of the price

so i get it i'm not yet to shame anyone but the brutally honest truth is you're not saving

anything if you didn't need it to begin with

which is a heart pill to swallow one a lot of us spit out

i get it there's two things i've mentioned in the section

and we handle them differently cheap versus a bargain

if you're buying clothes because they're cheap i know you're over consuming

and that's because there are already so many cheaply made

and cheaply sold clothes and they don't last anywhere near as long as they should

so you're replacing them at the speed of light

if it doesn't last more than one

or two washes you really shouldn't be then replacing it with the same cheap ass brand

and i'm not saying splurge on expensive brands

or save for really expensive designer brands no no no no i'm just trying to remind you

that is far more cost effective if that is your bottom line

if that is how you consume clothes

and what is at the top of your brain is the money

it is far more cost effective to buy something

that is twice the price three times the price

but outlost your cheaper option by like i don't know three years

so just don't buy from primark

i'm personally not guilty of buying cheap things not anymore I'm I'm not interested at all

but a bargain in a charity shop twist my arm I'm easily convinced

and I'm I'm actually I'm actually really working on it I try

and go in with a small list of things that I need

or would really really love

that have been on my like thrift wish list for years

current wish list is a pair of hiking another pair of hiking trousers I've only got one

and they're not necessarily hiking trousers a pair of hiking trousers and jeans that actually

fit me because i'm short and they are all so long

and i could probably i should go get them taken up

but anyway a pair of jeans that really fit me that's always what i'm looking for when i go in

but if i really love something then that's a different story i also try

and not look at the price i try

and make up my mind by myself before i turn

that price tag over

and i'm like oh four that's that's really good a really helpful way to think about it is i go

if i wouldn't pay full price for this do i really love it

that much or am i just getting it because I'm right in the high of how cheap

and what a bargain this is in this charity shop.

Or this also goes for not being in a charity shop.

I just, that's my personal experience because I don't buy first hand and I'm never in a high street store.

But goes the same for a high street store that has a big sale.

There's so much marketing around that.

There's so much adrenaline.

Would you pay full price?

If not, you're probably not that obsessed with it.

So keep walking.

Now, if you're one of the girlies

that felt called out by my cheap things comment

i have a feeling you might be guilty of my next point as well number three

you throw away items without trying to repair them first we don't repair anymore now

if you buy clothes that are really cheap they're probably going to rip

and ruin far more easily and are made of materials

that aren't even easy to repair the fabrics are so shit

so another argument for buying better clothes is

that you're more inclined to repair them and they're actually made to last years

and years repairing included even think twice about throwing something out but hopefully these images change that for you

i really do want to make a full video on where our textile waste ends up

so if you don't want to miss that subscribe number four

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if you are buying new for a once -off occasion instead of renting

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or borrowing you're probably over consuming because there's a lot of events

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that we only go to once

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and i get it we all want to look good for our mate's wedding

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we all want to look sexy for halloween

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but clothes are not single use

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you're allowed to re -wear a dress over different years to different events you're allowed to rent clothes

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and more importantly bring back borrowing the fact

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that borrowing clothes from our friends isn't our first instinct

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when going away

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or to an event just shows how messed up our consumption

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habits are remember over consumption is buying more than we need

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or will ever be able to use

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but also it's not using things for the amount of wares they're ready to give to us

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that they're made for i also think this is kind of a gateway drug into over consumption because it's

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so excusable oh it's just for this one party then i'll chuck

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it on to vintage oh it's this christmas has a different theme this summer has a new core

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which leads me to number five

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you buy a whole new wardrobe for each season instead of re -wearing what you had last year

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this is peak influencer culture this is peak over consumption unless your clothes no longer fit

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you there is no reason for you to be buying an

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entire new wardrobe for summer for winter for spring for autumn for anything

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i know this can sound crazy in this current online landscape

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but clothes are meant to last for years coats last more than one season

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so do boots so do bikinis i know

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that one is you'd never guess it jeans clothes they don't only last a season

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and i fear that if you have done this

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or are thinking about doing this buying a whole new wardrobe for a season

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you're under the influence they've got

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you you are no longer in control of your consumption habits you're no longer in control of your wallet

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and you no longer care for the environment

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and your mental health is going to suffer for it and

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if that sounds extreme then I know you're under the influence

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because buying a whole new wardrobe for a new season

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that should sound radical that's the insane thing here and

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if it doesn't sound insane you're probably consuming a lot of content online

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that is normalizing this kind of behavior

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so i ask you this was your favorite influencer really obsessed with a piece of clothing

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if they aren't wearing it again this year

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and lastly for number six i know you're probably over consuming

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if you are trying to keep up with influencers who get

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those clothes for free influencers careers depend on how much trust they can build with their audience

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which is kind of messed up the parasocial relationship freaks me out

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but also angers me to a degree when it is used to manipulate

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and exploit in order for the influencer to make some financial gains

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i just don't think that's cool at all i think influencers need to be held to a stricter standard

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when disclosing when stuff is gifted free sponsored blah blah blah

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because otherwise it creates

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this really unrealistic idea of what normal consumption looks like what

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a normal wardrobe looks like what a normal shoe rotation looks like

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if you're trying to keep up with them i know you're over consuming

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because they're over consuming it is not normal for people to own

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that many clothes shoes or jewelry

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and i'm not going to get into the use of the word normal

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because i know how defensive people can get over it and maybe I'll do another video on that.

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But let me be clear.

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the influencer lifestyle is not normal most people don't live like

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that therefore you are not behind you're actually part of the majority

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and therefore should not spend all your time money

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and energy trying to live like influencers do because you feel behind

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because you feel left out because you feel abnormal

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because you feel like you should be embarrassed about the way you live

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and the little things you own and have or how you don't keep up with the trends.

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They follow and adhere to trends because it makes them money to sell those trends to you.

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If you haven't tried to figure out your personal style, you're a slave to the trends and will be until you figure out what you like,

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who you are, what feels good on you and what brings you joy.

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That is how you become impossible to influence is you become so sure about yourself, your hobbies, your interests, your values,

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your morals that you don't feel like you have to adhere to any kind of online trends

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and i'm not asking you to not consume or buy clothes ever again

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because that is an unrealistic ask even if

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that is what the planet needs us to do i'm just asking

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you to be more conscious about your purchases really consider before

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you consume let me know how many of my telltale signs applied to you.

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See you in the next video.

174

Bye.

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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

This speaking lesson is built on the video “The Symptoms of Overconsumers”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: clothes, influencer, buying, consuming, outfit. This video has 174 sentences and 2085 words to shadow. The speech runs for 11:18. The speaker talks fast, about 185 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds. 84% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.

Key vocabulary in this video

15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
cloth noun	/klɒθ/	A fabric, usually made of woven, knitted, or felted fibres or filaments, such as used in dressing, decorating, cleaning or other practical use. Sometimes…
consume verb	/kənˈsum/	To use up.
outfit noun	/ˈaʊtfɪt/	A set of clothing (with accessories).
consumption noun	/kənˈsʌmp.ʃən/	The act of eating, drinking or using.
wardrobe noun	/ˈwɔɹdɹoʊb/	A governmental office or department in a monarchy which purchases, keeps, and cares for royal clothes.
repair verb	/ˈɹiːpɛɚ/	To restore to good working order, fix, or improve damaged condition; to mend; to remedy.
bargain noun	/ˈbɑːɹɡən/	An agreement between parties concerning the sale of property; or a contract by which one party binds themself to transfer the right to some property for a…
hike noun	/haɪk/	A long walk, usually for pleasure or exercise.
charity noun	/ˈtʃæɹɪti/	An organization, the objective of which is to carry out a charitable purpose.
jeans noun	/d͡ʒiːnz/	A pair of trousers made from denim cotton.
borrowing noun	/ˈbɔrəwɪŋ/	An instance of something being borrowed.
trousers noun	/ˈtɹaʊzɚz/	An article of clothing that covers the part of the body between the waist and the ankles or knees, and is divided into a separate part for each leg.
insane adjective	/ɪnˈseɪn/	Exhibiting unsoundness or disorder of mind; not sane; utterly mad.
habit noun	/ˈhæb.ɪt/	An action performed on a regular basis.
shoe noun	/ˈʃu/	A protective covering for the foot, with a bottom part composed of thick leather or plastic sole and often a thicker heel, and a softer upper part made of…

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
keep up with verb		To manage to remain beside or just behind someone or something that is moving away from one.
call out verb		To specify, especially in detail.
figure out verb		To come to understand; to discover or find a solution; to deduce.
mess up verb		To make a mess of; to untidy, disorder, soil, or muss.
bring back verb	/ˈbɹɪŋ bæk/	To fetch something.
come across verb		To change sides; to cross over to work for the opposition.
end up verb		To bring to a conclusion.
get over verb		To overcome.

Sentences worth repeating

Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:

This is how I know you're probably over -consuming.
Would you pay full price?
If not, you're probably not that obsessed with it.

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:

Structure	In the video
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now	have spent · i've done · i've been
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it	are made · are meant · be held
Advice with “should” should + verb — saying what is a good idea	shouldn't be · should go · should not spend
Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now	are buying · they're trending · you're not saving

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 97 contractions and reduced forms, such as you're, I'm, don't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

The “th” sounds: cloth /klɒθ/, clothing /ˈkloʊðɪŋ/, tenth /tɛnθ/, thrift /ˈθɹɪft/
The “sh” and “zh” sounds: consumption /kənˈsʌmp.ʃən/, shoe /ˈʃu/, wash /wɑʃ/, occasion /əˈkeɪ̯ʒən/, conscious /ˈkɑn.ʃəs/
Long words — get the stress right: adrenaline /əˈdɹɛnəlɪn/, necessarily /ˌnɛs.əˈsɛɹ.ə.li/, experiment /ɪkˈspɛɹ.ə.mənt/, differently /ˈdɪf.ə.ɹənt.li/, importantly /ɪmˈpɔɹ.tənt.li/

How to practise with this video

Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like cloth, consume, outfit.

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →

Shadowing Practice: The Symptoms of Overconsumers - Learn English Speaking with Video

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