Do I Know You? What’s the difference between a stranger and a strange person?

Is there a “strange” “person stranger” difference in meaning? Yes!

“Talk to strangers every day!”  I tell my students.  “If you want to improve your English more quickly, speak with strangers whenever and wherever you can.”

Often they look shocked.  “I don’t want to talk to strangers,” they say.  “I cross the street when I see a stranger.”

That’s how I know they are probably confused.

When I say “stranger,” I mean a person they don’t know, a person they haven’t met before.

They think I mean “a strange person,” someone who behaves strangely and makes them feel uncomfortable. 

If you sit next to a stranger on a bus or in a coffee shop, start a conversation.

If you sit next to a strange person, you may want to change your seat.

When you meet a stranger, practice your English.  Make small talk like “Nice weather, eh?” or “Long line, huh?”

When you see a strange person, you can take a photo for Facebook or Instagram.  For a caption, write “Keep Portland Weird.”

So, try to use this “strange” “person stranger” difference in the real world when talking to people in English!