Are you married or single?
They’ve been married for eight years.
Married men earn 70 percent more than single men.
married to
Nicole is married to my brother.
We’re getting married (=marrying) next month.
married couple/man/woman
a happily married man
When she first came to London, she was newly married and out of work.
So, how do you like married life?
GRAMMAR: Prepositions with married
• You are married to someone:
He is married to an American.
Last year I got married to Tom.
✗Don’t say: He is married with an American. | Last year I got married with Tom.
• You use married with when talking about how many children someone has:
Richard is now happily married with two young children.
COLLOCATIONS
VERBS
be married
She’s married now, and living in London
get married (=to have a wedding)
Did you know that they are going to get married?
stay married
I cannot stay married to a man I do not love.
be married with children (=to be married and have children)
Kevin is married with four children.
ADVERB
happily married (=in a happy relationship with your husband or wife)
I have been happily married for nine years.
unhappily married (=not in a happy relationship with your husband or wife)
They were behaving like an unhappily married old couple.
newly/recently married (=married not long ago)
The newly married couple arrived at their hotel.
NOUNS
a married man/woman
By 1957 a third of married women were working.
a married couple
Most of their friends are married couples.
married life
Throughout her married life, her husband’s interests had come first.
somebody’s married name (=a woman’s last name, when she has changed it to her husband’s name)
She gave them Pat’s married name and address
married quarters (=where soldiers live with their wives)
Can a soldier’s wife continue to live in married quarters if her husband leaves her?
THESAURUS
married having a husband or wife
How long have you been married?a married couple
single not married
Chris is 45 and still single.single mothers
engaged having formally agreed to marry someone in the future
Jane and Pete have just got engaged.engaged couples
live together to share a home and have a sexual relationship, but not be married
More and more couples are choosing to live together rather than get married.
separated no longer living with your husband or wife because of problems in your marriage
I think Joan and Brian are separated now.
divorced no longer married because you have legally ended your marriage
My parents got divorced when I was 10.divorced men
widowed no longer married because your husband or wife has died
He’s a widowed father of two.
HUSBAND/WIFE ETC
husband/wife the man/woman you are married to
My wife’s a teacher.
partner the person you live with and have a sexual relationship with. Partner is often used when people are not married, or when you do not know if they are married. It is also used when talking about same-sex couples
He lives with his partner Ruth and their eight-month-old son.
fiancé/fiancée the man/woman you are engaged to
He and fiancée Wendy Hodgson will marry in July.
divorcee a woman who is divorced
The prince announced his intention to marry Mrs Wallis Simpson, an American divorcee.
widow/widower a woman or man whose husband or wife has died
Imelda Marcos, the widow of the former president
spouse formal your spouse is your husband or wife
The rule applies to spouses and children of military personnel.
estranged wife/husband formal someone’s estranged husband or wife is one who they do not live with anymore
She is trying to get her sons back from her estranged husband.
SOMEONE WHO IS NOT MARRIED
bachelor a man who has never been married
He’s a confirmed bachelor (=a man who has decided he will never marry).
spinster old-fashioned a woman who has never been married and is no longer young
The house was owned by an elderly spinster.
