In-positive / Realizing url
Hearing that a company went bankrupt
- That was patently obvious to anyone who gave it more than two seconds of thought.
- The secret is out.
- There’s been trouble brewing for a long time.
- I saw it right off the bat.
- Another one bites the dust.
- From what I understand, this is what really happened.
- The fact is I’ve been expecting that to happen all along.
- In the end, what do they have to show for it?
- Seeing is believing.
- I had a hunch that that’s what was happening.
- We should have seen it coming.
- I’m well aware of it, but I denied it to myself.
- It’s the same old problem all over again.
- That’s it in a nutshell.
Hearing that a company went bankrupt
In-neutral / Acceptance url
Starting the marathon race
- I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.
- You know anything’s possible.
- Times they are a changing.
- I’ll just deal with it the best I can.
- A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
Starting the marathon race
In-positive / Determination url
General during battle
- We’ll see what we can do to rectify the situation.
- Never, never, never give up.
- I’m a stubborn man.
- You’ve got to be tough as leather.
- Don’t give up the ship.
- That’s an order.
- Might makes right.
- I have no choice but to take matters in my own hands.
- If the enemy breaches our last line of defense, will we have to defend our position with all we've got.
- I’ve just begun to fight.
- I’ll take my chances.
- I’ll guard it with my life.
- I’m determined to go through with the plan.
- This is the moment of truth that will test our mettle, to see what stuff we are really made of.
- It’s now or never.
- It’s above and beyond the call of duty.
- We shall overcome.
- We’ve crossed the point of no return.
General during battle
Out-positive / Concern url
To a friend who is trying to decide whether to marry their boyfriend
- How do you feel about it?
- So what did you finally decide?
- Are you having second thoughts?
- You’re such a worry-wart.
- You look puzzled.
- You’re a scaredy cat.
- In your investigation, did you come up with anything?
- Perhaps you should consider being a little bit more flexible.
- You can’t be too careful.
- Why are you fighting it?
- Look before you leap.
- He who hesitates is lost.
- Perhaps you shouldn't be too judgmental.
- Have an open mind.
- I have some information, does it ring a bell?
- Don’t let yourself get rushed into it.
- Look before you leap.
To a friend who is trying to decide whether to marry their boyfriend
Out-neutral / Advice url
Caution-1
- Look before you leap.
- You’ve got to take it with a grain of salt.
- Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
- Don’t quit your day job.
- I wouldn’t touch that with a ten foot pole.
- It’s going to be harder and take longer than you anticipate.
- That's better left unsaid.
- There’s many a slip between the cup and the lip.
- Take a closer look.
- I wouldn’t do that if I were you.
- Don’t take chances.
- You’re going to be sorry.
- Curiosity killed the cat.
- You should know better than that.
- He’s all bark and no bite.
- Better to be safe than sorry.
- Even though he’s well intentioned, he ends up doing a lot of damage anyway.
- The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
- Let's keep on the safe side.
- That is vastly overrated.
Caution-1
Out-negative / Annoyed url
You are wrong-1
- You are sadly mistaken.
- You’re such a drag.
- You are completely out of line.
- That wasn’t called for.
- That’s the pot calling the kettle black.
- That’s going too far.
- Wherever you go trouble follows.
- You’re adding insult to injury.
- You’re dead wrong.
- You’ve got some explaining to do.
- If you think that, you’ve got another guess coming.
- That’s the stupidest thing I ever heard of.
- Don’t make me laugh.
You are wrong-1
In-negative / Doubt url
Neighbors of the Wright Brothers
- I’ll believe it when I see it.
- Are you really sure?
- Personally, I don’t think you stand a chance.
- The odds are stacked against you.
- I don’t think anything will ever come of it.
- Are your out of your mind?
- Are you serious?
- Are you crazy?
- You must be drunk.
- Are you kidding?
Neighbors of the Wright Brothers
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 / Agreement url
Can you write a letter of recommendation for me?
- Just say the word.
- I’ll do whatever I can do to be helpful.
- I’ll try to put in a good word for you.
- If you want it, you’ve got it.
- Anything you say.
- Sounds good.
- Yes, by all means.
Can you write a letter of recommendation for me?
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-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-neutral / Negotiating url
Let’s work things out-2
- May I offer a suggestion?
- One hand washes the other.
- That’s why we’re here.
- What do we have to lose?
- One for all and all for one.
- I’m saying this for your ears and your ears only, and I hope it doesn’t go beyond the two of us: mum’s the word.
- No strings attached.
- It’s a two way street.
- That’s no big deal.
- You know very well that I take this very seriously and that I can be trusted to keep under wraps what you just told me in confidence.
- It will all sink in eventually, when this is all behind us.
- We can work it out.
Let’s work things out-2