Morning-after texts are best for first dates
Try easier levels of this lesson: First Dates - Level 0, First Dates - Level 1 or First Dates - Level 2.
Download the 27-page lesson | More mini-lessons
The reading
First dates can be romantic and the start of a beautiful relationship. However, many people wonder when the best time is to contact their partner after that first meeting. Scientists studied the best time to send a text after a first date. Researchers at Leuphana University in Germany asked 500 people about this matter and published their findings in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships. The researchers found the best time to text is the morning after the date. This shows the other person you are happy and are interested in a second date. They said waiting too long could be a mistake because it sends the wrong message that you are not interested.
The study involved asking the test participants to imagine having an enjoyable first date at a nice Italian restaurant. They then had to rate how much they wanted a second meeting, depending on when they received a text from their date. They had to decide whether being texted the next morning or two days later made them feel happiest. The researchers said a follow-up text the morning after the date made people want to take the relationship further. The Psychology Today website agreed and wrote: "A next-morning text shows you're interested and had a good time." The study looked at texting — the more modern method of communication. It did not look into traditional phone calls.
Sources:
- https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/02/09/first-date-best-time-text-leuphana-university-luneburg/
- https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-psychology-of-relationships/202601/how-long-should-you-wait-to-text-after-a-date
- https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/02654075251377184
Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)
