Men take things word-for-word, women look for the deeper meaning. That's just the way our brains work - but it can lead to trouble. Here are seven ways men take things too literally ... and some solutions to the problems they cause:

1. Half-hearted housework
You ask him to hang out the washing. He does exactly that. But, he fails to notice that last night's pans are sitting dirty in the sink and that the flat's as dusty as the Sahara. Don't assume he'll spot jobs you haven't mentioned - give him an itemised list.

2. Sympathy in short supply
He asks you 'what's wrong ?' 'Nothing,' you reply, but in a tone of voice that makes it clear you mean the opposite. You expect him to sense your need for comfort - but he takes the answer literally and carries on watching the football. Instead, give an answer that he has to respond to. For instance, 'oh, it's not that serious...'

3. Persistent pests
An unwanted admirer asks you out to dinner. You tell him you're seeing a friend that night. He asks again: you say you're not feeling well. He asks a third time: you reply that you're going to Bolivia for three months. You think he's got the message. But he's a man. The only message he gets is the literal one. The fact you think he's a revolting creep escapes him completely. He'll keep asking until you tell him that you're really not interested. If necessary, invent a boyfriend or an unusual gynaecological problem.

4. Failure to fret
A friend leaves your party early, claiming her babysitter's called to say the child's feeling ill. Your boyfriend takes this at face value, but you worry that your friend wasn't having a good time - perhaps someone said something to upset her? 'Stop imagining things,' he says. He doesn't understand that you worry about your friends.

5. Abrupt arrangements
You e-mail your boyfriend, asking where he wants to meet tonight. 'Red Lion, 7.30pm?' comes the response. You're offended that he didn't take time to ask how your day's going, or tell you how his day is going, or even - God forbid - say that he loves you. But you shouldn't be. He was simply answering the question he'd been asked. Nothing more, nothing less.

6. King of the kitchen
Cooking a new recipe together, you find you're missing an ingredient. You're happy to improvise, maybe use a substitute - but he insists on driving to the shops and buying the exact brand specified in the recipe. This is because he has to follow instructions to the letter. Precision is the key to success! Let him do it: otherwise he'll feel unsettled.

7. Brief bulletins
You ask your boyfriend whether he had a good time on his office night out. 'Not bad,' he replies. This is - literally - what he had: a night that wasn't bad. But you'd answer with a description of what people were wearing, who got drunk, who was flirting with the new receptionist - everything. So you mistake his shortness for a sign that he's hiding something. Maybe he was the one flirting with the new receptionist? Don't worry: the reason men don't report details is that they never notice them in the first place.

Talk about men and your pet hates on Confession Corner. Join in the discussions now: