If you’re not sure if your partner is available, try shooting them a text like, “Hey! I’ve got a quick question, do you have time for a phone call?” That way, they can easily respond to let you know if they’re free.

If you’ve waited multiple days for a reply and you still haven’t heard back, it may be a sign that the person has lost interest. Put your phone down and try getting some exercise, cooking, taking a walk, or doing your favorite hobby so you aren’t tempted to keep checking for a reply. [4] X Research source

If you’re in a new relationship, you can try testing your partner by only messaging them once a day. This gives them the chance to step up their game and text you more often.

For example, if you say that you want to go to a movie and your partner replies, “Okay,” you may follow up by asking something like, “How do you feel about the movie?” or “I’m open to suggestions! What do you want to see?”

Keep your partner’s schedule in mind so you don’t text them when they’re busy with other things.

For example, you can use texting to ask about each other’s days or make plans, but you should call or meet up if you want to talk about any relationship issues. You could even move to a different messaging platform, such as Messenger or Twitter DMs, for more casual conversations. That way, when you send a text, the person knows that it’s important.

For example, you could ask something like, “You’re a huge movie buff right? What are some new movies I should check out?” As another example, you could end your message on a cliffhanger like, “OMG the craziest thing just happened at work. ”

For example, you might say something like, “I feel like I’m not respected when I write sincere messages and get one-word answers back. I’d really appreciate it if you would say a little bit more about how you’re feeling so I don’t think you’re upset. ”

Be reasonable with any compromise you come up with. For example, you can’t expect someone to reply as soon as they receive your message, but you could ask them to check their messages every few hours so they don’t miss anything.

If the person still feels closed off when you’re on the phone or in person, then it could mean they aren’t feeling as invested.

Even if you’ve only been seeing each other for a short time, show the person respect by telling them why you want to end things rather than ghosting them.