Get to Know Someone

Grammar Exercises for Homework

We've described characters, where I was the one asking you questions... "What does she look like? What does he do for work? etc. This time, it can be your turn to ask the questions.

Below are a list of topics, your task is to create questions for each of them. For example: Name: "What is your name?" Profession: "What is your profession?"... but try to challenge yourself, by not using the given word. "What do you do for a living?" is more natural.


Name	Profession	Hobbies	Dreams
Food	Music	Goals	Fears
Achievements	Personality	Routine	Skills
Hometown	Location	Country	Places
Travel	Origin	Destination	Environment
Time	Date	Schedule	Birthdays
Timeline	Milestones	Motivation	Reason
Beliefs	Values	Preferences	Opinions
Family	Friends	Mentors	Role Models
Colleagues	Influences	Choices	Options
Favourites	Feelings	Methods	Processes
Experiences	Health	Lifestyle	Approach
Journey

To see example sentences for each topic: click to expand

Name – What’s your name?
Profession – What do you do for a living?
Hobbies – What do you do in your free time?
Dreams – What’s your biggest dream?
Food – What’s your favourite food?
Music – What kind of music do you like?
Goals – What do you want to achieve in life?
Fears – What are you afraid of?
Achievements – What are you most proud of?
Personality – How would you describe yourself?
Routine – What’s your daily routine like?
Skills – What are you good at?
Hometown – Where did you grow up?
Location – Where do you live now?
Country – What country are you from?
Places – What are your favourite places to visit?
Travel – Do you enjoy travelling?
Origin – Where is your family originally from?
Destination – Where are you planning to go next?
Environment – Do you live in a city or in the countryside?
Time – When do you feel most productive?
Date – When is your birthday?
Schedule – What’s your usual schedule like?
Birthdays – How do you usually celebrate your birthday?
Timeline – When did you start your current job or studies?
Milestones – What’s the next big milestone in your life?
Motivation – What motivates you?
Reason – Why did you choose this path?
Beliefs – What do you believe in?
Values – What values are most important to you?
Preferences – What do you usually prefer?
Opinions – What’s your opinion on that?
Family – Who are you closest to in your family?
Friends – Who’s your best friend?
Mentors – Who has had the biggest impact on you?
Role Models – Who do you look up to?
Colleagues – Who do you work with?
Influences – Who or what has influenced your thinking the most?
Choices – What would you choose if you had to pick one?
Options – What options are you considering?
Favourites – What’s your all-time favourite book or movie?
Feelings – How are you feeling today?
Methods – How do you usually solve problems?
Processes – How do you like to learn new things?
Experiences – What’s one experience you’ll never forget?
Health – How do you take care of your health?
Lifestyle – How would you describe your lifestyle?
Approach – How do you usually prepare for something important?
Journey – How did you get to where you are today?

Writing Homework

The writing homework is a little unrelated to "Getting to know someone", but I think it makes for an interesting writing task nonetheless. It's about dreams, happinesss and regrets... There are a few things below for you to read and listen to, to help you get in the right headspace for this.

I'm sure you know what a bucket list is... the article and video below introduce the idea of a reverse bucket list, but with different definitions. The first is simply listing what you have done (instead of what you want to do) and the second is a deeper psychological idea which involves detaching yourself from your desires.

Lastly, the final article discusses regrets... which I suppose, is the opposite to wishes and dreams of the future, or things you've achieved. Dive into the resources below and you can find a writing task below.

Reverse Bucket Lists

Something to read: https://theuncagedlife.com/50-things-that-make-me-awesome/

Something to listen to:

Regrets of the Dying

Something else to read: An interview conducted by a nurse working in paliative care, was made into a book called: The Five Regrets of the Dying by Bronnie Ware

I always thought there were ten, not five... so I'm going to list the ten that I'm aware of, but you can read the article below too.

I wish I’d lived true to myself, not others’ expectations.
I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.
I wish I’d expressed my feelings more.
I wish I’d stayed in touch with friends.
I wish I’d let myself be happier.
I wish I’d spent more time with loved ones.
I wish I’d taken better care of my health.
I wish I’d taken more risks.
I wish I’d forgiven and let go of resentment.
I wish I’d lived more in the present moment.

Writing Task:

This week you have a choice...

Happiness is a choice. Agree or disagree?
Letter from Your Future Self
Imagine you're 85 years old, looking back on your life. What advice would you give your current self? What would you tell yourself to do more of… or less of?
Happiness shouldn't be the goal, meaning should be. Thoughts?

Tell me about a time when...
Do you have any...
Have you ever...
What kind of...
When was the last time...
Would you rather...
If you could...
Is there anyone who...
How often do you...
What do you usually do when...
What made you decide to...
Who do you know that...
Why do you think people...
Could you imagine...
What’s something that always...

...you started learning English?
...your favourite thing to do on the weekend?
...you last felt really proud of yourself?
...someone you admire?
...your dream job as a child?
...you do if you had a free day with no plans?
...the most interesting place you've ever visited?
...a habit you’re trying to change?
...makes you feel calm when you're stressed?
...the best advice you've ever received?
...a meal you could eat every day and not get bored of?
...you usually spend your holidays?
...something new you’ve learned recently?
...a tradition from your country that others might not know?
...something people often get wrong about you?

Answers

I’ve just got back from Japan.
I was cleaning the kitchen when it happened.
She’s going to quit her job.
I would have helped if I had known.
He’s been waiting for over an hour.
They had already left when we arrived.
I go jogging every morning.
She was born in 1995.
I’m having lunch with her tomorrow.
Yes, I’ve met him before.
It’s been cancelled due to rain.
I used to live in Canada.
No, but I had heard of it.
I’ll probably stay in and relax.
She’s been promoted.

Questions

Where have you been recently?
What were you doing when the fire started?
What’s she going to do next?
Why didn’t you help?
How long has he been waiting?
What happened when you got to the party?
What do you do to stay fit?
When was she born?
What are you doing tomorrow?
Have you ever met the Prime Minister?
Why isn’t the match happening?
Did you always live in Poland?
Had you seen that documentary before?
What will you do this weekend?
What happened to her at work?

🔹 Normal / Everyday Characters

A chef who works in a busy restaurant
A teacher who just started a new job
A police officer near retirement
A nurse working night shifts
A bus driver who’s driven the same route for 20 years
A university student preparing for exams
A parent with three young children
A barber who hears everyone’s secrets
A mechanic who loves poetry
A postman who walks 10 miles a day

🔹 Slightly Unusual / Curious Characters

Someone who has just won the lottery
A teacher who hates children
A chef who is allergic to most foods
A police officer who never makes arrests
A traveller who hasn’t been home in 15 years
A person who quits their job every Monday
A student who refuses to use the internet
A gardener who only grows black flowers
A delivery driver who always arrives too early
A librarian who never speaks above a whisper—even outside work