Before making a move, you'll want to know if a guy is single to avoid embarrassing conversations based around sentences such as "Oh, um, I have a girlfriend." With a little detective work, it's possible to determine whether a man is attached or free as a bird without having to get too direct and risking awkwardness.

Being in a relationship, particularly one with children, consumes much of your time. If a guy often mentions partaking in activities that a person in a relationship might not have time for, such as going to the gym, travelling or engaging in lots of hobbies, he might be single. Probe further for more info, but do so gently. For instance, ask to see photos of his latest trip abroad and see if he's alone in the snapshots or with someone.

Check to see if a man is wearing a wedding ring to see if he's single. However, exercise caution before making a move. For the most part, men have only been wearing weddings rings since World War II, according to the BBC, and some men still don't do so. Also, some men take off their rings at the gym or when doing physical labour and others leave them behind to conceal their status so they can step out on their spouses.

If a guy's Facebook status says he's single, it may well be so, as Your Tango describes a Facebook profile as "a social resume." If you are friends with the guy in question on Facebook or his profile is publicly available, check to see if he lists himself as single. If he doesn't have his relationship status posted, look at wall comments. Any flowery, lovey-dovey comments from a girl could indicate he's seeing someone, as do romantic photos of him with someone.

Single men often have particular shopping habits, according to The Frisky website. If you run into a guy at the grocery store, peek in his cart. A singleton may purchase smaller sizes of items, such as a pint of milk rather than a gallon, or he could have convenience foods, such as TV dinners. If you spot a man shopping for a mattress alone, he could be unattached, because a partner most likely would want her say when it comes to picking out a bed.

Check out a guy's desk or workspace for signs that he's single. A man in a relationship often covers his desk in photos of his wife or girlfriend, so an absence of such snapshots can indicate a solo flyer. If you run into him at the laundromat, peek at his basket to see if it contains women's clothing or just guy's stuff.