Traits of a True Friend

Discussion

1. How do you keep in touch with friends who live far away?
2. Do you think regular communication is essential for friendship?
3. Have you ever felt like you were putting more effort into a friendship than the other person?

New Words & Expressions

• Consistent

  adjective

  /kənˈsɪstənt/

  Meaning:Acting or done in the same way over time.

  He is very consistent with checking in on me.

  Real Life Tip:

  Seen as a key indicator of commitment.

• Vulnerability

  noun

  /ˌvʌlnərəˈbɪlɪti/

  Meaning:The quality of being open and showing your true feelings.

  It takes vulnerability to share your struggles with a friend.

  Real Life Tip:

  Increasingly emphasized in modern friendships.

• Check in

  phrasal verb

  /tʃɛk ɪn/

  Meaning:To contact someone to see how they are doing.

  I try to check in with my best friends every week.

  Real Life Tip:

  A very common habit in American social life.

• Reach out

  phrasal verb

  /riːtʃ aʊt/

  Meaning:To make an effort to communicate or offer help.

  She reached out to me when she heard the news.

  Real Life Tip:

  A proactive and caring social gesture.

• Keep up

  idiom

  /kiːp ʌp/

  Meaning:To maintain a pace or level of contact.

  It is hard to keep up with everyone, but I try.

  Real Life Tip:

  Often used regarding busy social lives.

• Catch up

  slang

  /kætʃ ʌp/

  Meaning:To talk and get updated on each other’s lives.

  Let us grab lunch and catch up soon!

  Real Life Tip:

  One of the most common ways to initiate a social meeting.

Conversation

• Kevin
  I feel like I haven t reached out to my friends in a while.
• Jennifer
  It is tough with the move. Maybe you can just check in via text.
• Kevin
  True. I just want to make sure I am being a consistent friend.
• 

Q&A

Exercise

1. What does to reach out mean?

   To ignore someoneTo make an effort to communicateTo break a promiseTo argue

2. What is vulnerability in a friendship?

   Being meanBeing closed offShowing true feelingsIgnoring advice

3. I need to ____ in with my mom.

   checklookgetgo

4. Let us meet to ____ up.

   catchtakekeepget

5. is / consistent / a / friend / being

   Being a consistent friend is.Consistent friend is being a.Friend is consistent being a.Being consistent is a friend.

6. effort / it / requires / to / friendship / maintain

   It requires effort to maintain friendship.To maintain friendship effort it requires.Friendship requires it to effort maintain.Maintain it requires effort to friendship.

Ask Your Teacher

1. How do you balance being consistent with friends and having personal time?
2. Is vulnerability always good in a new friendship?
3. What are the best ways to reach out when you feel distant?

Your Time To Speak

1. How can I show vulnerability without feeling exposed?
2. What is the best way to catch up with a friend?
3. Should I check in every day or every week?
4. Why is it hard to keep up with friends?
5. How do I reach out after a long period of silence?
6. What makes a friendship feel consistent?
7. Is it possible to over-communicate?
8. How do I know if my friend values our contact?
9. What if my friend does not want to catch up?
10. How do I explain that I am busy without losing a friend?