INFLUENCERS: WISH STRUCTURES

Watch the following video called “Inside the big business of being a social media
influencer” by ABCNews.

WARM UP
Which of the following people do you think have the biggest influence? Explain your
answer and give examples.

1. Kim Kardashian 3. Elon Musk

2. Novak Djokovic 4. Warren Buffett

VOCABULARY
Complete the sentences with words from the box and say whether you agree with them.

followers engagement hashtags viral influencer

1. I always use ___________ on my social media posts so that they reach more people.
2. To be an influencer, it is really important that your content has a lot of ___________.
3. It is important to have a lot of ___________ on Instagram.
4. I have bought a product after seeing an ___________ promote it online.
5. Whether a video goes __________ or not is completely random. There is no strategy.

ESL Pals 1 General English

 VIDEO: LISTENING EXERCISE
Listen to the video one more time and then complete the tasks.

Task 1: Answer the following questions.

1. How many followers does Selena Gomez have?

2. What products has Kim Kardashian promoted?
3. What did Maria do before she became an influencer?
4. How did she become an influencer?
5. How much money do social media influencers make?
6. How do influencers use fake accounts to make money?
7. Why were people upset with the influencer Britney Don?

Task 2: Find definitions for the following words that appear in the video.

1. Native:

2. Whim:

3. Outlet:

4. Hurdle:

ESL Pals 2 General English

 WISH STRUCTURES
Read the theory about wish structures and then complete the exercises that follow.

Wishes about the present or future Wishes about the past

To talk about something in the present To talk about regrets in the past or things
or future that you would like to be that you would like to be different in the
Use
different. Usually it is something past. These are things that have already
unlikely. happened.

Structure wish + that + past simple wish + that + past perfect

● They wish that they had studied

● I wish that I won the lottery. harder at university.
● She wishes that she had a dog. ● I wish that the flights hadn’t been
Examples
● They wish that they could travel. cancelled.
● We wish that we lived in Greece. ● She wishes that she had invested
her money in stocks.

Task 1: Answer the following questions.

1. Do you wish social media had never been invented?

2. Do you wish that people spent less time on social media?
3. Do you wish that people didn’t idolise celebrities and influencers?
4. Do you wish that you were an influencer?
5. Do you wish that you worked in a modern job like vlogging / gaming or influencing?

Task 2: Make wishes about the topics in the box.

veganism climate change social media series travel

money government education taxes sport

ESL Pals 3 General English

 ARTICLE
Read the article and assign a title for each paragraph from the box. Note: Paragraphs do
not align with numbering.

Cultural Conformity Social Influence

Power And Control Personal Connection

Ten years ago, the term "influencer marketing" c. _______________________

didn’t exist. Today, the industry is booming and Influencer marketing taps into the social
big brands are paying attention. Still, most influence complex by capitalizing on influencers
people don’t understand the true mental being positioned as experts or gurus within their
underpinnings that make influencer marketing vertical. This is a new seat at the table in our
work so well. So let’s get into it, shall we? culture, where a relatively new type of audience
a. _______________________ opts into viewership more intentionally than
ever. So if you're following an influencer based on
Human beings are social creatures that are
trust, it's likely that you believe they have
programmed to connect deeply with those in our
accurate information.
"pack." With this connectivity comes an intense
expectation to be similar to the pack, or perhaps d. _______________________
better said, to "keep up with the Joneses" (or Many influencers have mastered the art of
maybe even the Kardashians). creating a meaningful connection with their
For consumers who consider the influencers they audience. Intimate photos and videos give
follow to be a part of their pack, many feel an viewers a lens into the true life of influencers,
obligation to keep up with their activities. And which can make followers feel personally
because influencers we initially see as credible in connected. Influencers regularly address their
one area eventually become credible in other audience directly and with this glimpse of direct
areas, so it's easy for followers to see every piece interactions with the influencer, a follower can
of content as something that they're obligated to feel a deep sense of connection to the influencer.
tune into. So we watch, engage and celebrate This personal connection means that people
with the creator because we’re culturally could prioritize and trust influencers at levels
programmed to care. that mirror real friends.

b. _______________________ Influencer marketing is effective because it

Humans have an innate survival instinct, which capitalizes on our most natural tendencies,
leads us to crave a base level of power and emotions and desires. Influencer marketing is
control. As long as we stay in control, we believe word-of-mouth at scale, where people listen to
we will survive. those they trust and those who can use
storytelling effectively. The digital world has
In the context of influencers, we elect to see found a way to tap into personal connections.
content by following or subscribing to influencers Due to these human connections, I think it's safe
we're interested in. In other words, we have full to say that influencer marketing is not leaving the
control over who we follow and the content we marketing mix anytime soon.
consume, which can make us feel a sense of
power.

Source: The Psychology of Influencer Marketing by Bradley Hoos for Forbes. Link

ESL Pals 4 General English

Task 1: Find a word that means…

1. Having a period of success and rapid economic growth (paragraph 1).

2. A strong belief that something will happen (paragraph 2).

3. Inborn or natural (paragraph 4).

4. Deliberately or on purpose (paragraph 6).

5. Treating something as being the most important (paragraph 7).

6. To gain an advantage, usually money, from something (paragraph 8).

Task 2: Answer the following questions.

1. Do you believe that people are social by nature?

2. Do you think it is easy to start believing all information that comes from influencers
you endorse?
3. What will influencer marketing look like in the future?
4. Is it possible to control the information that you consume on social media?
5. Do you have a favourite influencer? Why do you like them?
6. Do you think influencers are here to stay, or will the job become obsolete?

ESL Pals 5 General English

 IDIOMS
Complete the idioms with a word from the box. Then, match them to their meanings.

riches spoon claim butter cover gold

1. All that glitters is not ______________.

2. Born with a silver ______________ in one’s mouth.
3. Bread and ______________.
4. From rags to ______________.
5. To judge a book by its ______________.
6. A ______________ to fame.

Meanings:

a. To be born into a very wealthy family.

b. A reason for being regarded as unique / famous.
c. Used to describe when someone comes from poverty and becomes rich.
d. A person’s livelihood and main source of income.
e. To judge something / someone solely on their appearance.
f. Not everything that looks precious and valuable turns out to be.

ESL Pals 6 General English

 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Discuss the following questions as a class.

1. Do you think that social media has created a lot of job opportunities?
2. Do you follow any influencers? What do they promote?
3. Do you think it is dangerous for people to have so much influence?
4. Do you think that influencers are overpaid?
5. Is it convenient to see products promoted by influencers?
6. Do you think being an influencer is an easy job?
7. Would you like to be an influencer? Why / Why not?
8. Have you ever followed an influencer online to win a giveaway?
9. How can brands ensure that influencers don’t have fake followers?
10. Would you use influencers as a marketing tool for your business? Why / Why not?

ESL Pals 7 General English

HOMEWORK
WRITING EXERCISE
Write answers for the following questions.

1. What are the pros and cons of being an influencer?

2. Would you like to be an influencer? Why / Why not?

3. Do you think that influencers earn too much money?

4. Do you think it is healthy that some people have so much influence over others?

ESL Pals 8 General English

 5. What other jobs do you think social media will create in the future?

VIDEO: LISTENING EXERCISE

Listen to the video again and say whether or not the following facts are true.

1. Selena Gomez has 100 million Instagram followers.

2. Kim Kardashian promotes the luxury brand Dior on her Instagram.
3. Kylie Jenner uses social media to promote her own makeup brand.
4. Influencer Maria is 27 years old.
5. Maria has over 15 million subscribers on her Youtube channels.
6. Maria is a native of Colombia.
7. Maria has a second job in addition to being an influencer.
8. You are a certified influencer when you have 100 000 followers.
9. Influencers only promote fashion and beauty products.
10. A $102 million was paid out to influencers with fake followers in 2018.

ESL Pals 9 General English

 GRAMMAR EXERCISE
Write wishes about the following topics.

1. Fitness:

2. Health:

3. Environment:

4. Work:

5. Travel:

6. Friends:

ESL Pals 10 General English