The sky is grey and you forgot your coat. Next to you at the bus stop is a neighbour. Say something — a little talk about the weather can grow into a real chat.
You moved to this street six weeks ago. You do not know many people yet. You say hello in the hall, but you do not know their names. It is a friendly street, but nobody has really talked to you — and you have not really talked to them.
This morning the sky is grey. One hour ago it was sunny! Now it looks like rain, and you came out with no coat. You are at the bus stop. Next to you is a neighbour — the one who always has a garden tool and dirty hands. The bus comes in three minutes.
You can say nothing. Or you can say something small about the weather. The weather is an easy way to start. After that, who knows? Maybe you make a new friend.
Warm up — talk for one minute
Do you talk to strangers at the bus stop or in a shop? Or do you stay quiet? Why?
Where you live, do people talk about the weather? What else do people say to start a chat?
Who's who
You
The New Neighbour 📦
You are new here. You are a little shy, but friendly. You want to meet people and feel at home on your new street.
The other person
The Neighbour 🌿
They have lived here for twenty years. They look after the garden. They are kind and like to talk — and they can help you feel welcome.
Don't worry: you can speak slowly. You can say "Sorry, can you say that again?" It is OK. A small chat with a smile is all you need.
Useful Phrases 🧰
Here are the phrases for this conversation. Read each one and say it out loud once. Choose the ones you like. Keep this page open when you practise.
The shape of this conversation
1 · Start to talk2 · Get to know them3 · Be friendly4 · Leave the door open
It's a map, not a script. Real talk can skip steps or go back.
Cover it later, when you want to test yourself.
When you're the new neighbour
🌦 Start to talk
"It's cold today, isn't it?"
"Typical! I forgot my coat."
💬 Get to know them
"Do you live here too?"
"I'm new here."
🙂 Be friendly
"It must be a lot of work."
"Me too!"
👋 Leave the door open
"Come and see the garden sometime."
"It was nice to meet you! See you soon!"
When you're the neighbour
"Yes, it's very cold."
"Welcome to the street!"
"I've lived here ten years."
"Do you like it here?"
When something changes
"Where are you from?"
"Do you have a garden?"
"Do you need any help?"
When you need help
"Sorry, can you say that again, please?"
"Can you speak more slowly, please?"
"Do you mean…?"
"How do you say … in English?"
Speed round 🎯
Draw a card. Say what you would say, out loud. Then look at one answer.
Press the button to start.
Try a few more rounds with the toolkit covered. When it feels easy, you are ready.
The Conversation 💬
Read it out loud, one person each, then change. Find the phrases from your toolkit. See how a small chat about the weather grows into a friendly talk.
NeighbourIt's cold today, isn't it? One hour ago the sky was so sunny!
YouYes, very cold. And typical — I forgot my coat today!
NeighbourHa! That's bad luck. Are you waiting for the number 30 bus?
YouNo, the 46. Do you live here too? I think I see you sometimes.
NeighbourYes! I live at number 11 — the blue door. I have been here for twenty years.
YouI'm new here. I live at number 3. I moved in six weeks ago.
NeighbourWelcome to the street! Do you like it here?
YouI love it. People are friendly. And the garden is beautiful. Is it your garden?
NeighbourYes, the garden is mine. I work there every week, all year.
YouIt must be a lot of work! But I love flowers, and I would love to learn about plants.
NeighbourThen come and see the garden sometime! You can help me. Oh — here is my bus.
YouThank you! It was nice to meet you. See you soon!
NeighbourSee you soon! And go and buy a coat — it's going to rain!
From memory — don't look up!
1. Where does the neighbour live? What is special about their door?
2. How long has the new neighbour (You) lived on the street?
3. What does the neighbour do every week? What do they ask you to do?
1. The neighbour lives at number 11. Their door is blue. 2. Six weeks. (They moved in six weeks ago.) 3. They work in the garden every week. They ask you to come and see the garden, and to help them.
Your Turn 🎭
No script this time. You have a real talk with a real person. You have a goal.
1 · Warm up your voice 🎤
Say each sentence out loud. Use your own words in the gaps.
Start to talk. It's ___ today, isn't it?
Get to know them. Do you ___ here?
Be friendly. It must be ___.
Leave the door open. Come and ___ sometime.
2 · The scene 🎬
Pick a situation. Your partner plays the other person.
Your card
Where
The situation
You have
You want
Your ruleSay one thing, ask one thing.
Who you're talking to
🏆 Have a nice chat and say goodbye.
⏱ 3:00
Twist deck
🎲 Something changes
Start the scene. After a minute, draw a card. What it says just happened.
Nothing has changed yet.
3 · Swap seats 🔁
Now you are the other person. Your partner takes your old part.
Your card
WhereIn the street
Your goalChat and make a new neighbour feel welcome
Your partnerPlays the new neighbour now
Draw another twist if you like.
4 · Afterwards ✅
Tick what you did, in either seat.
Phrases I want to use next time
Go again
⚡ Same situation, one more time
Do it again. Draw a twist before you start. Try to do it faster this time.
The Echo 🕰️
In 1883, a volcano called Krakatoa exploded. It was on a small island near Indonesia. The sound was so loud that people heard it nearly 3,000 miles away. It is maybe the loudest sound ever.
The volcano threw a lot of ash high into the sky. The ash travelled all around the world. For months, the sky at evening was a strange, deep red. People in London and New York looked up and talked to strangers about the beautiful, red sky.
They were talking about the weather — the same easy way we do today. They did not know they were looking at ash from a volcano far away. So when you say "It's cold today, isn't it?" to a neighbour, you are using the oldest, friendliest way to start a chat.