Out-neutral / Advice url
Be open-minded about other people
- He’s a cut above.
- I’m sure he’d be glad to do what you want.
- He has a mind of his own.
- She’s a tough cookie, but if you have patience, she’s something worth waiting for.
- I must admit, that even though it may not appear that way at first glance, that there’s a certain logic to what he’s saying.
- Don’t pass judgement.
- Two heads are better than one.
- If you can’t beat them, join them.
- She’s giving you every chance under the sun.
- I’m sure he didn’t mean anything by it.
Be open-minded about other people
Out-positive / Encouragement url
To a friend, both of you considering starting a business together
- This is a golden opportunity to make the most of the situation for the long haul.
- Success is sometimes a long drawn-out process.
- Let’s take one step at a time, and climb one mountain at a time.
- As they say, it’s not the mountain in front of us that makes us hesitate, but the pebble in our shoe.
- At any rate it’s worth a try.
- Now we’re cooking with gas.
- The rest is up to us.
- There’s no harm in trying.
- Let’s put our mind to it, and there’s nothing we can’t do.
- I think we’re onto something.
- This work is tailored to our needs and abilities.
- It will happen before you know it.
To a friend, both of you considering starting a business together
Out-positive / Concern url
After a friend has just been robbed
- Are you alright?
- Get a hold of yourself.
- It’s not the end of the world.
- You can’t blame yourself.
- You’re shaking like a leaf.
- You’re as white as a ghost.
- It’s not your day.
- You’re as stiff as a board.
- It’s not something you could have been prepared for.
- It totally came out of the blue and took you completely by surprised.
- Day by day, this is something that you will gradually recover from.
- Take it from me, in a little while this will recede into the background of everything else in your life.
- I find your story absolutely heartbreaking.
After a friend has just been robbed
Out-positive / Friendship url
Saying it’s no trouble
- It’s no trouble at all.
- I would have done the same thing for you.
- It’s no bother, it’s not out of my way, I’m going in that direction anyway.
- Don’t mention it.
- It’s the least that I could do.
- The pleasure’s all mine.
- Believe me, it comes from the heart.
- I’m happy I could help.
- You are most welcome.
- I’ll leave that up to you.
Saying it’s no trouble
Out-positive / Agreement url
Do you mind if I take the car to shop for food?
- That’s fine with me.
- By all means.
- Be my guest.
- That’s cool with me.
- I don’t mind at all.
Do you mind if I take the car to shop for food?
Out-neutral / Negotiating url
Try to negotiate correctly & fairly-3
- Don’t go back on your word.
- Let’s get back to basics.
- Give me a fair shake.
- I think you’re just trying to soften me up.
- Don’t jump to conclusions.
- Don’t put me on the spot.
- Be up front with me, and don’t go behind my back.
- I wouldn’t be too sure of yourself if I were you.
- You’d better be on the level.
- Don’t whittle away at me.
- It seems like everything I say falls on deaf ears.
- I’m a man of principle, and I’m not going to compromise my principles or standards to stoop and do something like that.
- I’m not made of money.
Try to negotiate correctly & fairly-3
In-negative / Confusion url
To someone explaining calculus
- I haven’t the foggiest/slightest/vaguest idea of what you’re talking about.
- I can’t make heads or tails of it.
- I don’t understand.
- Whatever do you mean?
- You’ve got me stumped.
- I don’t know what to make of it.
- It doesn’t make any sense.
- How could that possibly be?
- It’s Greek to me.
To someone explaining calculus
Out-positive / Friendship url
Having fun-2
- All for one and one for all.
- It’s just a hop, skip and a jump away.
- It will be an experience of a lifetime for both of us.
- Let me propose a toast.
- You don’t have to pay for it, today it’s on me.
- Let’s grab a bite.
- I’ve got all the time in the world.
- Let’s drink to it.
- It's so good to have you here.
Having fun-2
In-negative / Explaining url
Trying to fix work-mate’s computer
- I found the problem, but I just need time to fix it.
- I’m a little rusty.
- I’m working on it.
- I've hit a brick wall.
- I tried my best, but I guess that just wasn’t good enough.
- It doesn’t look like I’m making much headway.
- Oh well, it was worth a try.
- It may look simple, but it's really complicated.
- You can’t blame a fellow for trying.
- I’m sorry that it just didn’t work out.
- Back to the drawing board.
- I got more than I bargained for.
- That’s easier said than done.
- It was a shot in the dark.
- That’s what I could do.
- I’m sure you were expecting more from me.
- I’m trying my best.
- That’s the only thing I can think of.
Trying to fix work-mate’s computer
Out-neutral / Negotiating url
We don’t agree
- Let’s call the whole thing off.
- We don’t see things eye to eye.
- Let’s just drop the whole thing.
- This is not going anywhere.
- It takes two to tangle.
- We don’t seem to be getting anywhere.
- My patience has worn thin.
- Just you wait and see.
- We’re just wasting our time.
- This is an exercise in futility.
- I’m not going to waste any more time talking to you about this.
- We come from two completely different worlds.
- I’ll pass on the offer, and take a rain check.
- I’m not sure if we’re seeing eye to eye about this.
- We’re talking at cross purposes.
- This is highway robbery!
We don’t agree
In-negative / Doubt url
To chemist who blew up the lab
- You’re supposed to know these things.
- What have you done?
- How could you do that?
- I can’t believe it.
- You certainly have had a streak of bad luck.
- I didn’t think that was going to happen.
- What were you trying to do?
- Well what did you expect?
- Is that the best you can do?
- Maybe you should choose a different line of work.
- I don’t think anyone expected this result.
- The less said about it the better.
- What have you gotten yourself into?
To chemist who blew up the lab
In-positive / Surprise url
A friend wins a big prize
- That’s a nice surprise.
- It’s like something out of a movie.
- You’re pulling my leg.
- Now how do you like that?
- I was so surprised when it happened.
- Get a load of this.
- Good heavens!
- Well blow me down.
- So what do you know?
A friend wins a big prize