Use of English

Keeping Friends

It is easy to take friendships for (0) GRANTED when life is running smoothly. Yet the relationships that quietly sustain us rarely survive on goodwill alone; they require attention, tact and, at times, a willingness to be mildly inconvenienced. In adulthood, competing demands can (1) .......... even the best intentions, and months pass before you realise you have not properly spoken to someone who once knew your life inside out. Maintaining friendships is less about grand gestures than about small, repeated acts: checking in, showing up, and remembering what matters to the other person. A message sent “just because” can (2) .......... a connection that might otherwise fade. Of course, closeness cannot be forced; it has to be (3) .......... over time, through shared experiences and mutual trust. When misunderstandings arise, the temptation is to let pride (4) .......... the day and retreat into silence. But friendships are often strengthened when people are prepared to (5) .......... the air, apologise without hedging, and listen without rehearsing a rebuttal. That kind of emotional literacy does not come naturally to everyone; it is learned, sometimes (6) .......... the hard way. Ultimately, friendships are not a luxury but a form of social infrastructure—one that helps us stay (7) .......... when circumstances shift, and that makes success feel less hollow and failure less (8) .......... .