Admit it. Nobody is ever really 'blindsided' when their partner leaves them. There was always something that wasn't going paticularly well, no matter how hard you tried to ignore it.

Being broken up with can be a surprise, but rarely were you without any kind of suspicion, even if you chose to give your partner the benefit of the doubt.

A study published in the journal Social Psychology and Personality Science in August, found 7 common reasons people give for ending a relationship.

So look out for the following signs:

1. Partner's personality - considering someone to be lazy, boring, or flaky were cited as examples

2. Breach of trust - such as infidelity, or a lie

3. Partner withdrawal - essentially jumping before you are pushed, as the partner suggests they are no longer interested

4. Physical distance conflict - bad sex, not enough sex, or lack of affection

5. Social consequences - parental disapproval, social pressure from friends

6. 'Deal breaker' - an addiction, abuse, legal issues were examples given of 'deal breaker' issues

7. Alternative partner - self explanatory.

But 'social consequences' could also be a reason to stay in a relationship, for fear of losing friends, as well as a reason to leave.

The authors, based at the Universities of Utah and Toronto, wanted to better understand the decision process of leaving someone, or dumping them.

If you're trying to work out if your significant other is going to leave you, it actually depends if they are your spouse or your partner.

People in unmarried relationships tended to give positive reasons to stay in a relationship, such as aspects of their partner's personality they liked, and enjoyment of the relationship. Married couples, on the other hand, gave reasons regarding constraints and obstacles to ending the marriage, such as family responsibilities, and logistical barriers such as finance.