I encountered our school teacher

G'day User gary,

May I suggest a tweak?

I met our teacher on the train. She greeted me warmly and opened her heart to me. I felt really good from the encounter.

There is no need to say school teacher as you have indicated by the use of 'our' that the person to whom you are speaking knows the teacher concerned.

I think that the last sentence is a little bland a

Thank you Stannum for your help.

I met my teacher by chance and not pre-planned. So could I use the word `encountered' in lieu of `met' in the sentence?

User_garyThank you Stannum for your help.

I met my teacher by chance and not pre-planned. So could I use the word `encountered' in lieu of `met' in the sentence?

"happened to meet" might be just what you're looking for.

Philip

User_gary
Thank you Stannum for your help.

I met my teacher by chance and not pre-planned. So could I use the word `encountered' in lieu of `met' in the sentence?

"happened to meet" might be just what you're looking for.

G'day Philip,

Your suggestion

'bumped into' is a more informal way of saying that you met someone by accident.

Nona The Brit'bumped into' is a more informal way of saying that you met someone by accident.

"Ran into" is also common. I generally avoid using both (in formal situations) because of the automatic image I have because of the literal meaning.

Hello everyone:)!

What about "Come across", is it only used for things or can it be used with people aswell? Come across means to find something by accident, right? Can you find someone by accident?

Thanks in advance!

Here's a possible way to use 'come across' with people:

I came across a dead body while I was hiking and immediately called the police.

LOL, Yankee, does that mean that it's not possible to "come across" someone alive?:)

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For those interested in the meanings of "come across", the discussion continues here: