Lesson 4: Long-Term Relationships
We’ve been living under the same roof for eleven years.

I can talk about long-term relationships.

INTRODUCE

You can learn about what makes a relationship last by talking to someone who has been in a long-term relationship.

PRESENT

STEP A EXPRESSIONS

Go over the expressions with your tutor and answer the questions.

    1. Amanda and Jay have been in a relationship for eight years now. They are in a steady relationship.

     

    Q: How long should a couple be together before you can say they are in a steady relationship?

     

     

    2. Liz and Andy agreed not to go on romantic dates with other people anymore. They want to be exclusive.

     

    Q: Why do you think many couples want to be exclusive?

     

     

    3. Zack and Kylie are a couple staying together in the same house. They live under the same roof.

     

    Q: Why do you think some dating couples choose to live under the same roof?

STEP B PRONUNCIATION

When one word ends with a vowel sound and the next word starts with a vowel sound, a consonant sound is sometimes added to connect them.
Phrase Example

be exclusive

/ bee-yeksklusiv /

They want to / bee-yeksklusiv /.

UNDERSTAND

SPEAKING

Kelsie and Chloe are relaxing after work on the Champ de Mars.

Kelsie:

(sighs) I keep thinking about Charlie. After dating him for a year, I felt sure we were going to be together for a long time.

Chloe:

Aww, I hate to see you so sad! Cheer up! At least now you know he’s not the one.

Kelsie:

(sighs) That’s true. Well, how about you? I’ve only heard you talk about your boyfriend once. How long have you guys been exclusive?

Chloe:

For about 12 years now. And we’ve been living under the same roof for eleven years.

Kelsie:

Wow, you sure are in a steady relationship! Have you ever considered getting married?

Chloe:

Hmm… We do talk about it, but not seriously. Actually, here in France, we have this thing called PACS, which is basically a civil union. We just have to live together and show proof that we live under the same roof. We aren’t married, but we can enjoy the benefits of a married couple. It’s actually quite common here.

Kelsie:

Oh, well, that’s really convenient…

Chloe:

Yeah, we both like it this way.

TRIVIA

In 2006, it was recorded that the majority of children in France were born to parents who were unmarried. Two possible reasons for this are the fact that unwed couples have become more accepted in French society and the fact that financial incentives for marriage have mostly disappeared.

PRACTICE

STEP A EXERCISE

Are the underlined expressions used correctly? Choose T for true and F for false.

  1. Mandy and Shane started dating yesterday. They’re in a steady relationship. ( T / F )
  2. Phil and Kim agreed not to date anyone but each other. They’re exclusive. ( T / F )
  3. Miki and Kei live under the same roof. She lives in Tokyo and he lives in Kobe. ( T / F )
  4. My best friend and her boyfriend have been dating since high school. They’re in a steady relationship. ( T / F )
  5. Liz goes on dates with Bruce sometimes, but she can go on dates with other people too. She and Bruce are exclusive. ( T / F )

STEP B EXERCISE

Rephrase the sentences using the expressions in the box. The form of some expressions may need to be changed.

be exclusive
live under the same roof
be in a steady relationship

1. We’ve been dating since 2008.

→ We ______________________.

 

2. I moved into her apartment last year.

→ We ______________________.

 

3. We agreed to stop seeing other people.

→ We ______________________.

 

4. We’re staying in the same house.

→ We ______________________.

 

5. We’ve been going out since we were in university.

→ We ______________________.

 

6. I only date him now.

→ We ______________________.

 

CHALLENGE

Challenge 1

Your coworker, Barry, just announced that he finally proposed to his girlfriend of eight years. Tell another coworker the news and discuss long-term relationships.

Today's Expressions

  • be exclusive
  • be in a steady relationship
  • live under the same roof

Challenge 2

Discuss your ideas.

If Time
Allows
1

LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIPS
2

LONG-TERM COUPLES
3

LIVING UNDER THE SAME ROOF
1

LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIPS

  1. How long should a couple be together to be considered long-term?
  2. Should people have to work hard to make a relationship last?
  3. How long should people date someone before getting married?
  4. Do you think it's safe to buy a house together in a long-term relationship?

2LONG-TERM COUPLES

  1. Do you know any long-term couples?
  2. Why do you think some couples prefer to date for a long time before getting married?
  3. Do you think couples who have dated longer will have a happier married life?
  4. Do you think that long-term couples should share bank accounts?

3LIVING UNDER THE SAME ROOF

  1. In your opinion, when should couples start living under the same roof?
  2. What are the advantages of living under the same roof?
  3. What are the disadvantages of living under the same roof?
  4. When living under the same roof, how should couples pay the bills (ex. one person pays for electricity and the other pays for water, each person pays exactly half)?

FEEDBACK

I can talk about long-term relationships.

LESSON GOAL ACHIEVEMENT

  • 4
    Very Good

    Could complete the task with ease

  • 3
    Good

    Could complete the task with some clarifications

  • 2
    Fair

    Could complete the task with additional instructions

  • 1
    Poor

    Could somehow complete the task with difficulty

PERSONALIZED FEEDBACK