In-negative / Desperation url
House flooded by hurricane
- I feel like my whole world is slowly coming apart at the seams.
- It’s even worse than I thought.
- I can’t stand it anymore.
- I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy.
- Take me away from here.
- Why does everything always happen to me?
- Wake me when it’s over.
- When it rains it pours.
- What's the use?
- That was the straw that broke the camels back.
- It really threw me for a loop.
House flooded by hurricane
Out-positive / Agreement url
How would you like to eat in the Italian restaurant tonight?
- I think that would be a good idea.
- Whatever you want.
- It's as good a place as any.
- We're thinking along the same lines.
- I'll drink to that.
- I'd be delighted.
- Whatever you want is fine with me.
- Sound’s good to me.
How would you like to eat in the Italian restaurant tonight?
In-negative / Explaining url
Throwing out a bag of laundry by mistake
- How was I supposed to know?
- What did I do this time?
- That never would have occurred to me.
- I wish I had known.
- I had no way of knowing.
- OK, I’m not perfect.
- I apologize profusely.
- It was totally unintentional.
- There’s nothing I can do about it now.
- My humble apologies.
- Sorry about that.
- If I knew what I was doing, I certainly wouldn’t have done it.
- I certainly didn’t do it on purpose.
- They looked so similar that I had no way of knowing.
- It came as a surprise to me.
- I’m awfully sorry.
- How was I supposed to know that?
Throwing out a bag of laundry by mistake
In-positive / Realizing url
The day after a stock market crash
- I may not understand all the details, but I get the general idea and see the big picture.
- I could see it coming a mile away.
- It stands to reason.
- By process of elimination it’s the only answer that makes sense.
- So there you have it.
- I had a hunch we were getting very close to the end.
- We’ve been all through this before, and it’s deja-vu all over again.
- By the time it dawned on us, it was too late.
- It looks like we’re going to have to start from scratch.
- These things just sneak up on you.
- I see this as a wakeup call.
- This really taught me a lesson that I won’t quickly forget.
- I'm going to have to re-examine and think through all of my assumptions.
- It's very sobering.
- It happened when I least suspected it.
- I wonder why I didn't see that coming.
- I turned a blind eye to all the warning signals.
The day after a stock market crash
In-positive / Determination url
Musician practicing
- I have my work cut out for me.
- When I put my mind to it I can do anything!
- It’s a tough road ahead, but mark my word, I'm going to make it.
- I’m determined to show the true grit that is part of my DNA.
- Let’s rise to the occasion.
- I am coming up to speed, slowly but surely.
Musician practicing
Out-neutral / Negotiating url
You will win
- I’m at your mercy.
- You saw through me.
- You’ve got me in the palm of your hand.
- I’ve painted myself into a corner that I can’t get out of.
- OK, I give in, you win, what’s next?
- You’re making out like a bandit.
- You have me over a barrel.
You will win
Out-neutral / Negotiating url
Don’t let your attitude interfere
- Don’t be a stickler for details.
- Don’t get all huffy.
- Don’t make a federal case out of it.
- Please get to the point, and don’t beat around the bush.
- Don’t make such a big production of it.
- You can’t pass judgment.
- You are blowing things out of proportion.
- You’re as stubborn as a mule.
Don’t let your attitude interfere
In-neutral / Acceptance url
Asking someone for a date, and being told no
- I’m hearing the message loud and clear.
- All’s fair in love and war.
- Time heals all wounds.
- I could have guessed as much.
- I guess it just wasn’t meant to be.
- It doesn’t matter to me in the least.
- I get the drift.
- That’s just the way people are.
- I don’t really mind.
- Love makes the world go around.
- Your wish is my command.
- You can’t say I didn’t try.
Asking someone for a date, and being told no
Out-neutral / Advice url
Action-3
- You best be on your way.
- Play it till the hilt.
- Your choice is clear.
- You can sink or swim.
- Don’t hold yourself back.
- You’ve got nothing to lose.
- Why don’t you give it a try?
- The early bird catches the worm.
- Try and patch things up.
- Set your sights high.
- Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.
Action-3
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
In-negative / Explaining url
Refusing to lie on a tax return to save money
- What did you expect me to do?
- That’s not my style.
- Why should I take the risk?
- I do what I have to do.
- I’m doing it just to be on the safe side.
- It’s taking all my will power to resist.
- I was holding on by a thread.
- I think it's the best thing to do.
- My hands are tied.
- It’s out of my hands.
- I’m conflicted about it.
- I shudder when I think of the downside of doing this.
- I’d rather play it safe.
- It's the right thing to do.
- I just can’t take the chance.
- The risks far outweigh the benefits.
- The way I look at it, I really don’t have much of a choice.
- I can’t see myself doing that.
Refusing to lie on a tax return to save money
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