Electric current

Electric current is the movement of electrons.
These electrons tend to take the shortest and least resistive pathway into the earth which is a pool of both positive and negative charges for neutralizing themselves.

For a person to experience and electric shock, the inner core of the wire carrying the current (which may be copper or aluminum) should come in direct or conductive contact with your body and your body should be one of the easiest pathway providing connection to the earth for you to get a bad shock.

Sometimes, even when a person touches a dangerously open wire, one may not receive a bad shock because of any insulation he is wearing or there may be a better route for the current to reach ground.(if part of the wire is touching the ground directly)