Another 22% were sure it wasn't during 2007, and 30% said they were not optimistic about finding a significant other in time to celebrate Valentine's Day next year.

But the majority, 68%, of singles still hold out hope of falling in love and getting married in the next five years.

"Overall, singles are optimistic that they will find the relationship that they are seeking," said Trish McDermott of Engage.com, which commissioned the State of the Date survey.

"We are trying ... to say 'this is a snapshot of what it is like to be single on Valentine's Day or any day in 2008.'"

There are 92 million singles in the United States, according to the US Census Bureau. Although many are turning to dating agencies and high-tech websites to find true love, a good percentage of the 683 single adults questioned in the poll have old-fashioned ideas about dating.

Nearly half of the women said they would never pay for a date and the majority of both men and women believe that when it comes to dating chivalry is not dead.

Almost 90% of the singles polled said if they told someone they would call and got a phone number they would follow through, and 79% thought it is not acceptable to first tell someone you love them via an email or a text message.

But there is some confusion between the sexes about what is expected of them.

"For instance, the preponderance of women, 76%, said a man should hold the door for them on a first date when only 61% of men felt they should hold a door for a woman," McDermott explained.

"It's very murky water for men right now," she said, adding that women probably need to communicate their expectations better to men.

Most men and women said they thought they would most likely find a future spouse through an introduction from a friend. Only four percent expected to meet a potential partner at a bar or nightclub and less than 10% thought it would happen at work, school or a social or sports event.

"Whether or not you are using new technology or are dating the good old fashion way, dating is a game that you have to be in it to win it," said McDermott.

"Every piece of research I have ever seen... says people who actively search for love are the people who find it."

The average consumer plans to spend $123 on Valentine's Day, according to the National Retail Federation, which said total spending could hit $17 billion.