Is it true that when an unmarried couple live together and the woman plays the role of his wife..?

i don't think that's true. if a man wants to marry a woman, then regardless of whether they "shack it up" or not, he's going to put a ring on it. my husband and i were living with each other all of 5 days after we met and three months later we were married. i didn't even have to bring it up- he did. people use that buying the cow expression to explain away men's tendencies, but i don't buy it as i think that when the man is ready for marriage that's when he'll take that next jump. some men will tell you they won't marry a woman until they've lived together first. actually a lotta them say that, as they want an idea of who they're marrying before they tie the knot. the bottom line is that a man has already decided whether or not he wants to marry a woman by around month 6 at the latest. so if he hasn't mentioned future plans with a woman by then, she can hang it up.