Talk to strangers
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Who knows that you’re here? I’m not asking a deep spiritual question about the nature of existence; I want to know about your community footprint and who will realize if you’re not where you’re supposed to be. For too many years I lived as an absentee citizen of the city, knowing global policies but not the names of my own neighbors.
One day in a Whole Foods I looked up and realized that everyone around me was just like me, yet none of us even said hello. I felt completely alone in a community of people who shared my clothes, my routines and even my podcasts.
That panic attack pushed me to change: I decided to interview a stranger every day and created a blog called People’s District. I met crossing guards, local hustlers, cafe owners and neighborhood celebrities who taught me what it means to be fluent in a community.
By talking to strangers I learned about gentrification, pride, struggle and generosity, and I began to call Washington my home. Now I challenge you to be more present, to introduce yourself to your neighbors, to ask meaningful questions and to take care of the people around you.
Go out and talk to strangers; it may just change your life.
⚡ Learning goals
- Describe how talking to strangers can build community.
- Explain a personal change that came from meeting new people.
- Encourage someone to connect with their neighbors in everyday life.
✨ Key language
- build community “Talking to strangers helps us build community.”
- feel disconnected “I felt completely disconnected from my own city.”
- meet a stranger “He decided to meet a stranger every single day.”
⚙️ Rules & Grammar — 4 Structures
1️⃣ Present simple for habits and routines
Rule: Use the present simple to describe regular habits and routines in your community life.Examples: I talk to my neighbors every day.; She checks on her elderly neighbors when it gets cold.; We share stories on the front steps after work.
Common pitfall + fix: Learners sometimes add “-ing” for habits (“I am talking to them every day.”) — Use the base form instead (“I talk to them every day.”).
Choose the correct sentence about a regular habit.
Tip: Use present simple (talks) for regular habits.
Fill with the best answer: I ______ a new neighbor every week.
Tip: Use the base form of the verb in the present simple.
2️⃣ Past simple for life-changing moments
Rule: Use the past simple to describe specific events that changed your life or your community.Examples: I looked up in the supermarket and saw everyone like me.; I felt completely alone in my own neighborhood.; That day I decided to interview a stranger every day.
Common pitfall + fix: Learners sometimes mix tenses (“I decide yesterday…”) — keep past time references in the past simple (“I decided yesterday…”).
Choose the correct past simple sentence.
Tip: Use the past form “decided” to talk about a finished action.
Fill with the best answer: I ______ how alone I felt in my city.
Tip: Use the past simple form of the verb.
3️⃣ Modal verbs for advice and encouragement
Rule: Use “should”, “could” and “might” to give friendly advice and gentle encouragement.Examples: You should introduce yourself to your neighbors.; You could start by saying something simple about the weather.; Talking to strangers might change your life.
Common pitfall + fix: Learners sometimes add “to” after modals (“should to talk”) — use the base form only (“should talk”).
Choose the best way to give advice.
Tip: After “should”, use the base form of the verb.
Fill with the best answer: You ______ start by asking a simple question.
Tip: Use a modal verb of possibility for gentle advice.
4️⃣ Imperatives for simple instructions
Rule: Use the imperative to give friendly instructions or invitations.Examples: Turn to the person next to you and say something.; Ask your neighbor a meaningful question.; Pay attention to people who might need your help.
Common pitfall + fix: Learners sometimes add a subject (“You turn to…”) — you can drop the subject in imperatives (“Turn to…”).
Choose the best imperative sentence.
Tip: Imperatives normally start directly with the verb.
Fill with the best answer: ______ something kind to a stranger today.
Tip: Use the base form of the verb for friendly instructions.
✍️ Vocabulary
community
Meaning: a group of people who live in the same place or share common interests.Synonyms: neighbourhood, society, group.
Chunk/Idiom: strong community.
Example: Talking to strangers can build a strong community..
Morphology: noun; plural: communities.
Self-practice: Write two sentences about your local community..
stranger
Meaning: a person you do not know.Synonyms: unknown person, outsider, newcomer.
Chunk/Idiom: talk to a stranger.
Example: He decided to talk to a stranger every day..
Morphology: noun; countable.
Self-practice: Describe a time you spoke to a stranger..
neighbourhood
Meaning: the area of a town where people live near each other.Synonyms: district, area, community.
Chunk/Idiom: local neighbourhood.
Example: He finally felt fluent in his neighbourhood..
Morphology: noun; British spelling; US: neighborhood.
Self-practice: List three things you like about your neighbourhood..
gentrification
Meaning: the process where a poor area changes as richer people move in.Synonyms: urban renewal, redevelopment, regeneration.
Chunk/Idiom: understand gentrification.
Example: You understand gentrification by talking to real residents..
Morphology: noun; uncountable.
Self-practice: Explain gentrification in one or two sentences..
storytelling
Meaning: the activity of telling or writing stories.Synonyms: narration, recounting, relating.
Chunk/Idiom: community storytelling.
Example: Community storytelling helps hidden voices to be heard..
Morphology: noun; can be used as an adjective.
Self-practice: Write a short storytelling sentence about your city..
connected
Meaning: feeling close to people or places around you.Synonyms: linked, related, engaged.
Chunk/Idiom: feel connected.
Example: Talking to strangers made him feel connected again..
Morphology: adjective; from the verb connect.
Self-practice: Write when you feel most connected to others..
☁️ Examples (+ audio)
Talking to strangers can change your life.
He decided to interview a stranger every day.
Community stories help us understand our neighbours.
Start with a simple question and really listen.
✏️ Exercises
Grammar
Choose the correct sentence in the present simple.
Tip: Use “feels” for he/she/it in the present simple.
Choose the correct past simple sentence.
Tip: Use the regular past form “decided”.
Fill with the best answer:
You should ______ to people in your community more often.Tip: After “should”, use the base form of the verb.
Fill with the best answer:
Yesterday I ______ myself to my new neighbour.Tip: Use the past form “introduced”.
Vocabulary & Comprehension
What happened in the supermarket?
Tip: Think about how he describes his panic attack.
What did he do after his panic attack?
Tip: Remember the project called “People’s District”.
Fill with the best answer:
He finally felt fluent in his ______ and its people.Tip: Use the word for the area around your home.
Fill with the best answer:
Sharing people’s ______ helped him understand the city.Tip: Think of the word connected to “storytelling”.
✅ Guided practice
Mini-dialogue:
A: I always see you in this café, but we never talk.B: You’re right, maybe today is the day we say hello.
A: So, how long have you lived in this neighbourhood?
B: Almost ten years, but I’m only now meeting my neighbours.
Why this matters:
Talking to strangers helps you feel less alone. It can turn a cold, anonymous city into a real community. It also gives you powerful stories to share with other people.Verb & Adjective Pack:
connect — Talking to strangers helps me connect with my city.belong — I finally feel like I belong in this neighbourhood.
listen — When I listen carefully, I learn hidden community stories.
generous — My neighbours are generous with their time and care.
present — Being present in my community changed how I see it.
Try & compare:
Fill with the best answer: Today I will ______ myself to one neighbour.
Tip: Use the verb we use when we say our name for the first time.
Self-correction: Fix the sentence: Talking strangers can to change your life.
Tip: Look at verb order and remove extra words.
Practice aloud: Listen, repeat, then type the sentence.
Go out and talk to strangers in your community.
Tip: Pay attention to the word order and small words like “and”.