Neighbors

Everyone has neighbor stories, and students usually have strong opinions about what makes a good or bad neighbor. The topic works well across levels because it connects to daily life and cultural differences in how people interact with those living nearby.

Questions are organized by level from beginner to advanced. A printable PDF of all the questions is available at the bottom of the page.

Beginner (A1-A2)

1. Do you know the names of your neighbors? How many do you know?
2. What is your neighborhood like? Is it quiet or noisy?
3. Have you ever given food to a neighbor or received food from one? What was it?
4. Do you live in an apartment or a house? What do you see when you look out your window?
5. What is the nicest thing a neighbor has ever done for you? Tell me about it.
6. Are there any kids in your neighborhood? What do they usually do outside?
7. Have you ever gone to a neighbor’s house? What did you do there?
8. Have you ever watched a neighbor’s pet or plants while they were away? How did it go?
9. What kind of shops or places are near your home? Which one do you go to most?
10. Did your parents know their neighbors well when you were growing up? What did they do together?
11. Have you ever had a neighbor move away that you were sad about? Tell me about it.

Elementary (A2)

1. Is there anything that your neighbors do that annoys you?
2. Did you play with kids who were your neighbors when you were a kid? Do you still keep in contact with them?
3. Have you ever asked to borrow something from your neighbor? Has your neighbor ever borrowed anything?
4. Think back in your life, who was your most memorable neighbor? What made them so memorable?
5. What is a good gift to give to a new neighbor? What’s good about it?
6. Who is the friendliest neighbor you have? What do you like about them?
7. What is the worst problem you have ever had with a neighbor? How did you handle it?
8. What do you usually do when a new neighbor moves in? Why?
9. What is the most annoying noise a neighbor can make? Why is it so annoying?
10. What kind of neighbor were you in the past? Give me some examples.

Intermediate (B1)

1. What do you think of your neighbors?
2. What kind of person would be the perfect neighbor? Name at least three characteristics.
3. Do you trust your neighbors? Would you leave them a key to your house? Why or why not?
4. Do you prefer living in a neighborhood with many people or few people? Why?
5. Should people introduce themselves to new neighbors? Why or why not?
6. What problems happen most often between neighbors in your country?
7. Should there be rules about how neighbors use shared spaces like hallways or yards? What kinds of rules?
8. How do you feel about neighbors who have parties or gatherings? When are they acceptable?
9. Should people confront a neighbor directly about problems or report them to management? What do you think is better?
10. Should neighbors share things like tools or food with each other? Why or why not?
11. How important is it to have good neighbors when you have young children? What difference does it make?
12. If a neighbor’s dog barked all night, what would you do? Have you ever been in a situation like that?
13. What role do neighbors play during natural disasters or emergencies? How have you seen this in real life or in the news?

Upper-Intermediate (B2)

1. Here is an idiom: “Good fences make good neighbors.” What do you think it means? Do you agree?
2. Do you think that neighbors were friendlier to each other in the past or are they friendlier now? Is this a good or bad thing?
3. How are countries that border each other similar to neighbors?
4. Do you think it’s better to be friends with your neighbors or just polite to them? What are the downsides of each?
5. How has technology changed the way neighbors interact with each other? What do you think about those changes?
6. What are the advantages and disadvantages of living in a neighborhood where everyone knows each other?
7. Compare how people in cities interact with neighbors versus people in small towns. What causes these differences?
8. How do cultural differences affect what people expect from their neighbors? Can you give examples from different cultures?
9. Some people say that apartment buildings should have shared spaces like gardens or kitchens. What are the upsides and downsides of that idea?
10. How has the design of modern housing affected the sense of community among neighbors? What specific design features matter most?
11. Compare how different generations view their responsibilities to neighbors. What has shaped these different attitudes?
12. In some countries, neighborhood associations make rules about things like paint colors, fences, and noise. What are the benefits and problems with that kind of system?
13. How do economic differences between neighbors affect their relationships? Can people with very different incomes be good neighbors?
14. How do government housing policies shape the kinds of neighbors people end up with, and what are the long-term social consequences of those decisions?

Advanced (C1)

1. To what extent does the concept of ‘neighboring’ reflect deeper cultural assumptions about privacy, community, and individual autonomy? How do these tensions manifest in everyday interactions?
2. How might the increasing mobility of modern life simultaneously strengthen and weaken the traditional bonds between neighbors? What are the paradoxes inherent in transient communities?
3. How do political and ideological divisions in society affect the ability of neighbors with different worldviews to coexist? What mechanisms help or hinder peaceful coexistence?
4. Why do you think humans have formed neighborhood-based communities throughout history across all cultures? How has proximity shaped social evolution and collective survival?
5. How might digital surveillance technologies in neighborhoods simultaneously enhance security and erode trust between neighbors? What are the ethical implications of constant monitoring?
6. To what extent do gentrification and demographic shifts reveal underlying conflicts about who belongs in a neighborhood? How do power dynamics shape these processes?
7. To what extent do gated communities and private neighborhoods reflect broader tensions between personal security, social equality, and community cohesion?
8. In what ways do immigration and cultural diversity within a neighborhood challenge traditional ideas about belonging, trust, and shared identity?
9. Why do people in wealthier neighborhoods often know their neighbors less well than people in poorer ones, and what does that reveal about the relationship between money, independence, and human connection?
10. As populations age in many countries, how does the responsibility of caring for elderly neighbors reveal tensions between government services, family obligations, and community solidarity?
11. How do online neighborhood groups and social media platforms change the power dynamics within a community, and in what ways can they both unite and divide the people who live side by side?

PDF: Download a PDF of all the questions