In-neutral / Acceptance url
Someone else gets the main role in the play
- Live and let live.
- That really doesn’t surprise me.
- It’s over and done with.
- Let the better man win.
- That’s all the more reason to leave things the way they are and not make waves.
- It’s just as well.
Someone else gets the main role in the play
In-positive / Realizing url
Realizing that the maid has been stealing money
- There’s no way around it.
- I hate to admit it.
- It slipped out of her mouth and she showed his true colors.
- I now see her as she really is.
- I’ve had a hunch for the longest time.
- It’s finally out in the clear for everyone to see.
- She finally let the cat out of the bag and told us what really happened.
- I heard it through the grape vine.
- I suspected as much.
- I should have known.
- I know it sounds far-fetched, but I kid you not.
- Perhaps I should have seen that coming.
- In retrospect, I was blind as a bat.
Realizing that the maid has been stealing money
Out-neutral / Negotiating url
We are adversaries
- It’s every man for himself.
- Let’s face it, we’re on opposite sides of the fence.
- I’m not willing to wait.
- I beg to differ with you.
- You give me no choice.
- It’s a dog eat dog world.
- I’m just acting in my own best interest, and I expect you to do the same.
- May the best man win!
- That goes both ways.
- That’s for me to know and you to find out.
- I’m ready to play hardball.
- Take it or leave it.
- Don’t ask me any questions and I won’t tell you any lies.
- I’m dead set against it.
- I need the whole kit and caboodle.
- All’s fair in love and war.
We are adversaries
In-negative / Confusion url
Taking a test without having studied
- It doesn’t ring a bell, it doesn’t sound familiar.
- What am I going to do now?
- I feel I don’t have much of choice.
- I’ve got to go through with it, and I’m hoping for the best.
- I hope I recognize some of the things I’m presented with.
- What should I do?
- What I am doing this for?
Taking a test without having studied
In-neutral / Caution url
Invited to a party the night before an exam
- I’m dead set against it.
- Am I making a big mistake?
- I have a funny feeling that I’ve been through this before.
- All that glitters is not gold.
- I don’t know if I’ll should do this on such short notice.
- I can easily see where this is heading.
- It’s a waste of time.
- I should know better than that.
- Have I taken leave of my senses?
- Is it worth it?
- I’ve learned my lesson before, and I promised myself that I wouldn’t repeat that mistake again.
- That's not for now.
Invited to a party the night before an exam
In-neutral / Caution url
Thinking of taking a high interest loan
- What am I getting myself into this time?
- I hope that this is not something that I will live to regret.
- I have to ask myself, is it worth it?
- If I’m mistaken, things could all come tumbling down.
- I should know better than that.
- There’s got to be an easier way.
- Don’t do anything precipitously that you can’t easily undo.
- I could end up in trouble up to my ears.
- I shouldn’t get myself involved with something that I can’t get out of.
- Let’s cool our heels, and be patient and wait to see what happens.
- I should have realized from the very beginning that it’s important not to spend a lot more than you earn if you don’t want to end up being saddled with a lot of debt - and now it doesn't look as if I have any good options to choose from.
Thinking of taking a high interest loan
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
In-positive / Determination url
Manager of sales
- What are we waiting for?
- Strike while the iron is hot.
- We shouldn’t let this opportunity slip through our fingers.
- Let me make myself crystal clear.
- We have to take our chances.
- Let’s just get the ball rolling.
- That settles it.
- We’re off to a flying start.
- Even though in the short run it may be very difficult, in the long run it has the highest chances of success.
- Let’s take the ball and run with it.
- Oh well, it's back to the drawing board.
- You can’t put me off for another minute.
- We got off to a rip-roaring start.
- There’s no I in team.
- There's nothing that we can't accomplish if we put our minds to it.
- We can come up to speed in no time at all.
- We’re making up for lost time.
- Let's push it over the top.
- The goal is well within our reach.
- We have to be on the top of our game, and not get lulled into complacency.
Manager of sales
Out-positive / Encouragement url
For a friend who just got an A average
- You passed with flying colors.
- That’s my boy!
- You out-did yourself.
- You did that well.
- All things considered, I think you did a great job, and you should be proud of what you were able to accomplish.
- That’s using your head.
- Nobody can do it better.
- That’s fantastic.
- Kudos to you!
- Your mind is sharp as a tack.
- Your in a class all by yourself.
- You should be proud of yourself.
- That’s a major accomplishment.
- I always knew you had it in you.
For a friend who just got an A average
In-negative / Desperation url
Missing the last train
- It’s enough to make me cry.
- I’ve had all I can handle.
- I'm coming apart at the seams.
- I just can’t take it anymore.
- I can hardly stand it.
- It’s driving me crazy.
- That’s the kind of day it’s been.
- I needed that like a hole in the head.
- I shouldn’t have waited till the last minute.
Missing the last train
Out-positive / Friendship url
Compliment-2
- You look wonderful.
- You look very nice.
- That’s so sweet.
- You say the sweetest things.
- You have a wonderful gift of making friends.
- You say the sweetest things.
- Complements to the chef.
- You’re the one and only.
- You have good taste.
- You’re all heart, that’s what I like about you.
- You’re the hit of the party.
Compliment-2
In-negative / Confusion url
Lost in a forest
- I don’t know whether I’m coming or going.
- Do you think that we’re getting anywhere?
- What am I supposed to do?
- I can’t figure out what’s going on, and I feel like I’m shooting in the dark.
- How am I going to pull this off?
- I’m on a wild goose chase.
- What are we going to do now?
- So now what do I do?
- What’s going on?
- I don’t know what I’m going to do.
Lost in a forest