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A new research by David de Vaus, of the Australian Institute of Family Studies has concluded that it is good to audition a potential matrimony partner before tying the knot.

The studies conducted were of couples from 1970s to 1990s who were in 'direct' marriages -- traditional couples who started living with each other only after marriage -- and 'indirect' marriages -- couples living together before marriage.

But Professor de Vaus took another route to justify his findings and took into account the 'amount of time' spent by the couples, living together.

De Vaus studied the marriages of more than 7300 Australians over a period of 20 years. About 70 per cent of the traditional couples, who married in the 70s were still together with each other even after 20 years, compared to that 'only 47 per cent of those who had lived together first, had made the distance'.

However, the gap narrowed between 1980s to 1990s and by 1990-94 the success rate between both type of marriages was almost identical.

Hence the conclusion: 'Try before you buy'. Numbers can be manipulated to mean anything you want them to.

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