Are you dating a person who majored in English and are not a member of the literary elite yourself? Kudos to you if you are. You’re in for a treat. I might be a little biased though considering I have 2 English degrees.

Dating an English major will open you up to a bevy of new experiences and maybe a few new vocabulary words on the way. In addition to using an expanded vocabulary, English majors have a number of ways of expressing their love with which the mainstream world may not identify. It’s simply due to a lack of experience.

To help you lucky and adventurous daters out, I’m going to turn Elizabeth Barrett Browning on her head a little here and reveal some secrets. The following is a ledger of things that English majors may say, do or refrain from doing all in the name of love.

Your English major loves you if he/she:

1. Tries to loan or give you books (particularly if it’s a favorite). Really. I promise.

2. Explains literary references to non-mainstream texts/stories so you don’t get lost in the conversation.

3. Attempts to engage you in thoughtful or thought-provoking discussions that may or may not be thinly veiled debates about important literary phenomenon. And trust me, to your English major, they are important.

4. Compares you to a literary character (provided that this character is not a villain).

5. Refrains from correcting your grammar.

6. Refrains from visibly cringing when you use incorrect grammar.

7. Tells you that he/she wants to build a library in your future home—it means that he/she is willing to house books in the same residence as you. This is a much bigger deal than just living with you.

8. Offers to edit your term papers/resume/cover letter. He/She just wants you to give a good impression to the outside world. You’re with an English major now, after all.

9. Lets you win every once in a while when you play word games.

10. Shares his/her favorite literary character with you. It’s kind of like revealing a fantasy. No, really. It is.