In-positive / Happiness url
Resting at home on a day off
- It’s nice to be home.
- It’s a nice change of pace.
- There’s no place like home.
- I’ve never felt better in my life.
- I have the best of both worlds.
- There’s nothing quite like it.
- Home sweet home.
- Everything is just swell.
- This is the day we’ve all been waiting for.
Resting at home on a day off
Out-neutral / Advice url
Trust me
- I won’t steer you wrong.
- Please take my advice.
- I’ll know when the time is right.
- Heed what I am saying.
- Do as I say, not as I do.
- Take a tip from me.
- That’s a solemn promise.
- Now pay attention to what I’m trying to tell you, and I want your undivided attention.
- Mark my words that as sure as I’m standing here, what I’m saying is the honest truth.
- Just stick with me.
Trust me
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
Out-neutral / Negotiating url
I don’t understand your point
- That doesn’t make any sense to me.
- That has nothing to do with it.
- I don’t know what you’re talking about.
- Where are you coming from?
- You’d have to be a fool to think that.
- Anyone with half a brain knows that.
- That’s a little hard to swallow.
- That's neither here nor there.
- You’re being simple minded.
- I’m not convinced.
- What does that have to do with the price of tea in China?
- That’s out of the question.
- We don't see eye to eye.
- Do expect me to take that seriously.
I don’t understand your point
Out-negative / Annoyed url
You are guilty
- You look like the cat that swallowed the canary.
- That’s pretty under-handed.
- You’re getting away with murder.
- It’s all your fault.
- I caught you red handed.
- You were caught with your hand in the cookie jar.
- What kind of game are you playing?
- I feel sorry for you.
- You know what you did.
You are guilty
Out-neutral / Advice url
Don’t worry
- Don’t be a worry-wart.
- Don’t worry about it.
- Put it out of your mind.
- Don’t sit around moping, and get on with your life.
- I wouldn’t worry about it if I were you.
- You should look at the bright side of things, and not always be filled with doom and gloom.
- His bark is worse than his bite.
Don’t worry
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
In-negative / Explaining url
After shoving a neighbor in a fight
- It was just a misunderstanding.
- I can’t explain it.
- I admit it, I cracked under pressure.
- I would like to try to set things straight.
- It’s all my fault.
- I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
- There’s a first time for everything.
- I acted on impulse.
- What can I say?
- I was taken off guard.
- Don’t get the wrong impression.
- Things just got out of hand.
- My pride got in the way.
- I hope I didn’t come on too strong.
- My emotions got the better of me.
- I really didn’t intend for things to turn out the way they did.
After shoving a neighbor in a fight
Out-positive / Concern url
Meeting a friend who’s been up all night studying for a test.
- Perhaps you waited too long to take care of it.
- Have you’ve been burning the midnight oil?
- Next time try not to wait until the last minute.
- You’re working yourself to the bone.
- Perhaps you’ve bitten off more than you can chew.
- You should try to pace yourself better.
- Don’t worry about it, just do your best, and I'm sure that will be good enough.
- You shouldn’t save everything for the last minute.
- You’re burning the candle at both ends.
- Don’t bite off more than you can chew.
Meeting a friend who’s been up all night studying for a test.
Out-positive / Encouragement url
For a friend who just got into a top business school
- You sure have come a long way.
- I’m not surprised that you succeeded, I always knew you had it in you.
- Shoot for the moon, and give it all you’ve got.
- You’re as smart as a whip.
- There’s no limit to what you can accomplish if you put your mind to it.
- What more could you ask for?
- With this under your belt, a golden future can be yours.
- I have absolute faith in you.
- It’s the opportunity of a lifetime.
- I don’t know how you accomplished so much in such a short period of time.
For a friend who just got into a top business school
In-positive / Confidence url
Traveling by car to a new destination
- It’s a hop, skip, and a jump away from here.
- It’s not that far as the crow flies.
- So far, so good.
- It’s clear sailing from here on in.
- It’s going to be smooth sailing from here on in.
- What could possibly go wrong?
- Now I wouldn’t let anything bad happen, would I?
- I know what I’m doing.
- I'm going to wing it.
Traveling by car to a new destination
In-negative / Disappointment url
Employee feeling unappreciated
- I worked so hard for them, and all I got was a measly pat on the back.
- I feel so un-appreciated.
- I feel like I’m being exploited, but there doesn’t seem to be too much I can do to stop it.
- It’s the same old thing all over again.
- I feel like I’ve really been through the mill.
- I expected more.
- I think I deserve to be treated better.
- I’m not a happy camper.
Employee feeling unappreciated