In-negative / Doubt url
Police questioning thief
- Your story doesn’t hold water.
- Can you please run that by me again?
- That’s hard to believe.
- You expect me to believe that?
- There’s something fishy about your story.
- You’re lying through his teeth.
- What you’re tell me just doesn’t wash.
- Do you expect me to believe that cock and bull story?
- That’s nothing new.
- It’s too late for that.
- I think you’ve been up to no good.
- You can talk till you’re blue in the face, I just don’t buy it.
Police questioning thief
Out-negative / Anger url
Stay away from me
- Mind your own business.
- Don’t butt in.
- Will you lay off?
- Don’t start with me.
- Stay out of it and mind your own business.
- I don’t want your two cents worth.
- Keep your hands to yourself.
- Leave me alone.
- It is no business of yours.
- Stop bugging me.
Stay away from me
In-negative / Desperation url
Losing a lot of money in the stock market
- They’ve got the deck stacked against us.
- I’ve been cut off at the knees.
- So much of the time I feel that I’m damned if I do and damned if I don’t.
- I’m behind the eight ball.
- Boy, was that a mistake.
- Back to the salt mines.
- I feel like I’ve been raked over the coals.
- I’m running out of steam.
Losing a lot of money in the stock market
In-positive / Confidence url
Given a new assignment at work
- I should have no trouble accomplishing the task.
- This will be one more feather in my cap.
- I know everything there is to know about it.
- It’s a piece of cake.
- Consider it done.
- I’ve done it once, and I can do it again.
- That’ll be no problem whatsoever.
- I can knock that off in no time flat.
- I can get through this in no time at all.
- I know where it’s at.
- Now we're getting into a whole new territory.
- That’s very do-able.
- That will be carried out to the letter.
- That’s as easy as pie.
- I’m going to get it done in two seconds flat.
- My head is still above water.
Given a new assignment at work
Out-positive / Agreement url
Can I have your second scoop of ice cream?
- The rest is more than enough for me.
- No problem.
- I don’t mind at all.
- That’s fine by me.
- It’s my pleasure.
- Be my guest.
Can I have your second scoop of ice cream?
Out-neutral / Negotiating url
Try to negotiate correctly & fairly-1
- Somehow you’re making me feel guilty about what we both know took place out of the blue.
- Come on, out with it, spill the beans, and fess-up, because to tell you the truth I expected it all along.
- Please, hear me out!
- You couldn’t possibly object.
- Give me a fighting chance.
- You owe me that much.
- You just don’t want to admit it.
- Come on, be real!
- Please do your utmost to pay attention, and keep your mind on the subject.
- Let me be the judge of that.
- Be straight with me.
- Are you trying to pull the wool over my eyes?
Try to negotiate correctly & fairly-1
Out-negative / Anger url
Shut up
- Keep your big mouth shut.
- Don’t talk behind my back.
- Don’t be coarse.
- Don’t snap at me.
- I don’t like your tone of voice.
- Shut your trap.
- You have a foul mouth.
- Take that back.
Shut up
Out-neutral / Negotiating url
Let’s make peace-1
- Let’s bury the hatchet.
- Let’s patch things up.
- Let’s let bygones be bygones.
- I hope I didn’t say anything wrong.
- No harm done.
- Take as long as you like.
- I don’t take offense easily.
- I know you didn’t mean anything by it.
- I’ve bent over backwards.
Let’s make peace-1
Out-neutral / Negotiating url
This is my viewpoint
- I hope I’m making it crystal clear.
- That just what I said.
- I rest my case.
- I made my point.
- I’ll get right to the point.
- You know where I stand.
- I meant what I said.
- For whatever it’s worth, here are my 2 cents.
- I really mean it.
- It’s all here in black and white.
- That’s my point exactly.
- Let’s set the record straight.
- If you get my drift.
- I’m well aware of that.
- There’s something you ought to know.
- Of course that’s what I meant.
- You can talk till you’re blue in the face, you still won’t convince me.
- I hate to be blunt.
- There’s no, ifs ands or buts about it.
- I’ll be honest with you.
- Take it or leave it.
- What you see is what you get.
- If you want a deal, you’re going to have to up the ante.
- I’m going to cut to the chase.
- It doesn’t make sense to do it any other way.
- I wanted to run this idea by you.
This is my viewpoint
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 / Encouragement url
For a fellow worker who is hesitant to present a new idea to the boss
- There’s nothing to be afraid of.
- You have nothing to worry about.
- Don’t sell yourself short.
- What’s holding you back?
- What could go wrong?
- Your fears are your worst enemy.
- I'm sure they're going to appreciate your trying.
- You have nothing to lose, and everything to gain.
- At the very worst, they won't use your idea, but it’s certainly not going to hurt anything.
- What's the downside?
- Grab the brass ring.
- Maybe they’ll take you up on it.
- What’s the worst case scenario?
- Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
- No pain, no gain.
- Speak up and make yourself heard.
- You don’t have to sell yourself to me, screw up your courage and say what you have to say to the powers that be.
- Just remind yourself that speaking up is not a bad choice, mind you.
- Don’t worry, they’ll understand.
- They’re on the up and up, and they’re not going to pull any punches.
- You need to stand up for yourself.
- I think you should jump at the opportunity.
- It never hurts to ask.
For a fellow worker who is hesitant to present a new idea to the boss
In-neutral / Acceptance url
Taking bad tasting medicine
- It all goes into the same stomach.
- Life’s not a bowl of cherries.
- Is that so terrible?
- It could be worse.
- It’s not all that bad.
- You have to take the good with the bad.
Taking bad tasting medicine