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These 4 Online Dating Opening Lines Will Get You The Date—And These 4 Will Get You Ghosted

No matter what your dating app of choice, coming up with a cool, creative, can-we-just-get-to-the-actual-date-part opener can be a challenge. Dating app Hinge did a study among their users to nail down the most successful opening lines and pinpoint the phrases most likely to get you rejected.

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To get a date, say: “Free this week?”

Perhaps it’s no surprise that men respond best to messages that get straight to the point. Gents are 98 percent more likely to respond to an assertive message or direct ask-out. Women, on the other hand, are most likely to respond to creative food-related questions like “Chocolate, red velvet, or funfetti?” Yummm. (Try asking what her favorite ice cream flavor says about her personality!)

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To get a date, play: Two truths and a lie

Those in the 29- to 34-year-old age bracket love a challenge like “two truths and a lie.” Not only is it a creative opener (that’s 31 percent more likely to get a response than your standard “hey”), it gives your match a genuine opportunity to share something about himself. Let the real talk begin.

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To get a date, ask: “Boozy brunch or 7 a.m. spin?”

Lifestyle questions like how someone likes to spend their Sunday also do well for daters. Not only are questions like “Would you rather go to a boozy brunch or 7 a.m. spin class?” 24 percent more likely to get a response, they’re easy, creative, and might even give you lovebirds an idea for your first date. Here are 11 creative date ideas to get a conversation started.

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To get a date ask: “Scuba diving or rock climbing?”

Questions that tease out how adventurous a potential paramour is are also popular—especially in the 24- to 28-year-old age bracket. Try asking about their latest vacation or what’s next on their bucket list.

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To get a date avoid saying: “Sorry”

Okay it’s seriously time to ditch your overuse of the word “sorry.” Those who apologized in their opening line were 56 percent less likely to exchange numbers. No more “Hey, sorry but…”.

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To get a date, avoid: “Hey”

Speaking of “hey,” it’s for horses, says Hinge. With the seemingly endless matches out there, being creative and standing out is the name of the game. The study found that the standard “Hey, what’s up?” won’t up your chances of getting a response at all. If you actually want to chat with someone, try something a little more unique like “Best discovery: Netflix or avocados?” which makes you 20 percent more likely to kick off a convo.

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To get a date, avoid: “Would you rather…”

Off-beat pointed questions like “Would you rather have weekly hiccups or never sneeze to completion again?” make potential matches more likely to scratch their heads than ask you out. Out-there questions like these are 18 percent less likely to get a response.

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To get a date, avoid: Awkward questions

It’s pretty safe to say that most of us don’t like talking about our most awkward moments…especially with someone we’ve never met. Questions like “What’s the most awkward movie you’ve ever watched with your parents?” are 38 percent more likely to be met with total silence. Now that’s awkward…

Reader's Digest
Originally Published in Reader's Digest