Character Interaction Problems

@HelenaKB99, which format are you playing on, a console or a PC/Mac?  Also, do you have any extra packs (be they Expansion Packs (EPs), Game Packs (GPs),  or Stuff Packs (Sps)?) 🤔  The more packs you have the more options you will have, especially with EPs and GPs because they affect gameplay more than SPs do.  

That said, even without any additional packs there should be some more options.  Depending on your Sims's personality traits, there should be a few options based on that.  For example, if your Sim loves the outdoors, there is normally an option for your to "Enthuse about the Outdoors" , and Family Oriented Sims should have the "Boast about Family) option.  
Also, not all options are available every time…. sometimes with Genius Sims, there will be an option to Discuss Ideas, and other time there will be an option to "Showoff Invention".  

Other interactions that should be available regardless of personality traits or packs you have installed are 
Discuss Interests, Talk about neighborhood changes, Flirt, Ask if Single, Do Impersonation, Tell Goofy Story, Tell Dramatic Story, Ask About Local Fishing Spots, etc. 🙂

Since you are new to the Sims you probably don't use any Mods or Custom Content (CC), but if you have any of these that are outdated, this could also cause problems in your game. 🤨😞

Please update us of your situation! 😇

Thank you for a reply! 
I play on my mac and when I bought the game I bought the bundle with ‘up all night’ expansion. I’ve played older versions of sims so I know that this is definitely a fault.

do you think there’s something I need to change in settings? Obviously this is decreasing the entertainment of the game and it’s been a problem since I first installed it 

Social interactions in Sims 4 is /much/ more demanding than earlier sims titles; If you don't spend at least an hour a day with a sim doing socials you'll /never/ level up that relationship. Decay is worse too - because you only have to miss a couple of days; that being said, it is odd that you would only have the basic options...maybe it's a bug? Other than that - I would be interested to know what exactly you mean by "Interactions Won't Progress" - because this could mean a number of things; (ie. your game is freezing when Clicking to Show More Interactions or The Relationship not leveling up etc)

Edit: Also several of the more "generic" socials were removed from Sims 4 when it was created (e.g. "Chat") You can still preform these socials in a way but they have different (more meaningful) names.

@HelenaKB99this might be a Mac issue, but unfortunately I don't play on a Mac.😞  I'll have to check as this might end up being moved to the Mac section. 🤔


Edit/Update: Well, I checked and it isn't a Mac issue.  You could always try to repair you game through Origin. To Fix your game in Origin log in and go to Library, then right-click on The Sims 4 and choose the "Repair Game" option from the list.  Wait until Origin finishes repairing all your packs and not just the base game. 🙂

Also,   Do you happen to play with Mods or Custom Content (CC)?  🤔 

Quick Question; and this is just for reference, are you playing with the "Legacy Expansion" downloaded? I haven't used that but it's supposed to make older PCs compatible with Modern Sims 4; although since it's a different code base it would require you to seek specialized help, because the systems are not the same. That particular Expansion is just as questionable as CC when it comes to helping people help you; other packs don't matter that way - but the legacy edition changes core systems the game relies on and using it in error and/or at all could change several variables.

@LeissaMyst  , no the Legacy Edition actually requires the current version of the game to be installed.  The only differences are that you can't install any packs from Discover University onward and that there are no online features.   So all of the features from the previous packs remain unaltered and are fully compatible with The Legacy Edition. It does not change the base game or any packs prior to the changeover. 

Here is the LE FAQ thread for Mac users: https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-Mac/The-Sims-4-Legacy-Edition-thread/m-p/8420037#M22694

Well I was going on the PC edition, so...yeah, Code base may be a bit of a exaggeration but it's also true that the site /specifically/ tells you NOT to install it if you don't have to (at least on the PC Edition) which is more what I was getting at...