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-negative / Doubt url
To someone who claims that a swamp is great real estate
- That’s going too far.
- That’s not very likely.
- Don’t make me laugh.
- You’ve got to be kidding.
- Do you really believe that?
- I rather doubt it.
- I don’t believe it for one minute.
- Do you expect me to believe that crap?
- That doesn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of being successful.
- That’s a hare brained idea.
- It’s the same old run-around.
- I don’t buy it.
- It sounds kind of fishy.
- He’s stretching the truth.
- I wouldn’t put it past you.
- Do you expect me to believe that?
- I don’t trust you as far as I can throw you.
To someone who claims that a swamp is great real estate
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
In-neutral / Acceptance url
Being offered a job
- Now that’s an offer I can’t refuse.
- It’s better late than never.
- I’ll buy that.
- All’s well that ends well.
- If the shoes fits wear it.
- That works out best all around.
Being offered a job
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-negative / Doubt url
After wife suggests to husband that he run for Mayor
- How am I going to pull that off?
- That’s easier said than done.
- I’m not so sure.
- It sounds like it’s nothing more than a pipe-dream.
- Hey, you never know.
- What are we waiting for?
- I’m having second thoughts about it.
- I think you have more confidence in me than I have in myself.
- I don’t even know if it’s worth the effort.
- It’s a nice idea, but what are the odds of it succeeding?
- I don’t know if I’m up for it.
- What do you think the odds are of it succeeding?
- I appreciate your vote of confidence, but do you think it’s worth a try?
- We have to be realistic about it.
- I have my doubts.
- Should I give your suggestion the benefit of the doubt?
- Are you pulling my leg?
After wife suggests to husband that he run for Mayor
Out-neutral / Advice url
Priorities
- First things first.
- Don’t put the cart before the horse.
- Just stick to business.
- Don’t waste your time.
- I think you’re cutting off your nose to spite your face.
- Put your best foot forward.
- Don’t let yourself get sidetracked.
Priorities
In-neutral / Acceptance url
After an operation
- It’s just going to take time.
- I’m feeling as well as can be expected given the circumstances.
- I think for a while I’ll just have to get used to living with it hanging over my head.
- I’ll take each day as it comes.
- I wouldn’t have it any other way.
- It is what it is.
- I can’t complain.
- Every cloud has a silver lining.
- It takes some getting used to.
- At first after the operation, I felt achy all over, but I recovered bit by bit, day by day, slowly but surely.
- It could have been a whole lot worse.
- Life has its challenges.
After an operation
In-neutral / Acceptance url
Losing money in the stock market
- It happens to the best of us.
- Life goes on.
- You can’t turn back the hands of time.
- Let the chips fall where they may.
- You can’t take it with you.
- Money isn’t everything.
- That’s the way the cookie crumbles.
- This too will pass.
- Easy come, easy go.
- I’ll take full responsibility for it.
- It was bound to happen.
- We live and learn.
Losing money in the stock market
Out-neutral / Negotiating url
Try to negotiate correctly & fairly-3
- Don’t go back on your word.
- Let’s get back to basics.
- Give me a fair shake.
- I think you’re just trying to soften me up.
- Don’t jump to conclusions.
- Don’t put me on the spot.
- Be up front with me, and don’t go behind my back.
- I wouldn’t be too sure of yourself if I were you.
- You’d better be on the level.
- Don’t whittle away at me.
- It seems like everything I say falls on deaf ears.
- I’m a man of principle, and I’m not going to compromise my principles or standards to stoop and do something like that.
- I’m not made of money.
Try to negotiate correctly & fairly-3
Out-positive / Friendship url
Stating commitment-1
- We’ll stick together like glue.
- Let’s tie the knot.
- We’re like two peas in a pod.
- You’re my knight in shining armor.
- You can count on me.
- Blood is thicker than water.
- I can’t be without you.
- Our relationship is a match made in heaven.
- You taught me everything I know.
- We were made for each other.
- I would move Heaven and Earth for you.
- We’re made for each other.
- You’re the best thing that ever happened to me.
- I don’t know what I would do without you.
Stating commitment-1
In-positive / Determination url
Manager with a new employee
- The early bird catches the worm.
- I won’t take no for an answer.
- Let’s skip the formalities, and cut to the chase.
- I'm going to get right down to brass tacks.
- Let’s get a move on it.
- A word to the wise is sufficient.
- It’s just not done that way around here.
- Do whatever it is you have to do.
Manager with a new employee