I was out recently with a friend, enjoying a drink at a local pub. She gave me a gentle kick under the table and said, “See that nice looking guy over there – he’s looked at me a couple of times– do you think he fancies me?”

When I checked him out, I saw that he was facing the bar in the opposite direction to where we were sat and that he had his arms folded over his chest. I said to my friend, “No, forget it. He’s not interested.”

How could I tell? Well, it’s all in the body language. Even though many of us are not aware of it, our bodies send out signals, letting people know how we’re feeling. It works for both men and women. If you know how to read body language it can tell you a lot.

Body language signal 1: Scoping you out

The first time man notices you. he will let his eyes roam over your body – giving you the “once-over” as it were. This will usually be done surreptitiously. Its a natural male reaction.

If you notice a guy giving you the once-over, it’s more than likely the “twice-over.” In other words he’s looked at you more than once and wants you to know about it. He may even let his eyes tarry over parts of your body he really appreciates.

Body language signal 2: Preening himself

When a guy spots a girl he fancies, he will want to give himself the best chance of being attractive. Tell-tale signs are running his hands through his hair, checking to feel whether his shirt is correctly positioned, adjusting his tie and checking his shoes out to see if they are clean. He may even exit into the Gents to check his teeth and maybe run a comb through his hair. Having done so, he could then decide to make a move on you.

Body language signal 3: Attracting your attention

If a guy has made up his mind that he fancies you, the next thing he will do is to try and gain your attention. The ways that guys do this is individual to each man. He might just move directly into a position where you cannot avoid seeing him. Alternatively he may do something else physical to gain your attention. If he is with a bunch of pals, he might move slightly away from them so he is more obvious to you.

The object of his attention grabbing exercise is to make sure you see him so that he can then see whether or not you appear interested.

Body language signal 4: Facial expression

You can tell so much from a guy’s eyes. If he is interested he will be desperate to make eye to eye contact. You can use this opportunity to have a good look at his face. Is he wearing an open, welcoming expression? Is he smiling at you? Look for the subtle signals that the eyebrows, the lips and the nostrils give out.

Whene we human beings are attracted to one another, our skin sensors make our skins more pleasurable to touch; so is he touching his face? Maybe he rests his chin in his hand; maybe he gently strokes his forehead, or perhaps he gently rubs his jaw? If he is holding a glass, perhaps he is taking sips more often and if he is smoking he may put the cigarette to his lips more often. He is probably not even aware of what he is doing, but it means that his tactile senses have engaged another gear.

Body language signal 5: Showing off his body

Men are similar to women in as much as they like to present their bodies to best advantage. Typically, a man will show off his muscles. He will probably stand more erect to look as tall as possible and if you are in close proximity, he may lean in towards you. Sometimes a man will place his hands on his hips as this creates a pleasing v-shape to the body and make him look larger.

If the guy is sitting close to you, he may position himself on the edge of his seat and lean in to you. If he has his legs crossed, he might point the resting foot in your direction.

Body language can tell you a lot about a man’s interest in you. Learning how to read guys in this way could significantly improve your love-life