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-neutral / Advice url
Strategize-2
- Don’t poke your nose into other people’s business.
- You may not be crazy about the way it tastes, but at least it curbs your appetite.
- It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.
- Pretend it never happened.
- What’s the bottom line?
- Do it the easy way.
- One hand washes the other.
- Make the best of the situation.
- Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.
- Attitude is 90% of success.
- Let’s float a trial balloon and see what the reaction is.
- To ensure your strategy works, make sure all your ducks are lined up.
- Here is my proposed/suggested game plan.
- Stay focused.
- Keep your eye on the ball.
- Don’t let yourself get sidetracked.
- A word to the wise is sufficient.
- You have to know how to choose your battles.
Strategize-2
Out-positive / Agreement url
Don’t you agree that guaranteed basic income would reduce poverty?
- I must admit, when you’re right, you’re right.
- That’s exactly what I think.
- I think that’s an idea whose time has come.
- That would be neat.
- I agree that it’s as simple as that.
- I see your point.
- I have a funny feeling that time will bear that out.
- Amen!
- You couldn’t be more right.
- I believe that the data will validate what you are saying.
Don’t you agree that guaranteed basic income would reduce poverty?
In-negative / Explaining url
Not doing work assignment on time
- I bit off more than I could chew.
- I didn’t accomplish as much as I thought I would.
- I took my best shot.
- That’s the best that I can do.
- It took me longer than I thought it would.
- I’ve been under a lot of pressure lately.
- I was sure I could do more in the time that I had.
- The whole thing blew up in my face.
- I promise to do better next time.
- I don’t know how to answer your question.
- It totally slipped my mind.
- I knew there was something I forgot to do.
- I have no excuse.
Not doing work assignment on time
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
Out-neutral / Advice url
Conserve your resources
- A little bit goes a long way.
- Don’t wear yourself out.
- Get your act together.
- Keep your head above water.
- Make the best of what you have.
- Waste not want not.
- Take it easy.
- Don’t bite off more that you can chew.
- Do it yourself.
- Just go about your business.
- Conserve your strength.
- Ease your way into it.
Conserve your resources
Out-neutral / Advice url
Action-1
- Do something about it.
- Get on the ball.
- Give it a whirl.
- There’s no time like the present!
- Don’t put it off.
- Give it the old college try.
- You can’t walk with both feet on the ground.
- Don’t be passive.
- This is the moment of truth.
- Rise to the occasion.
- Take the bull by the horns.
- Strike while the iron is hot.
- This is a chance of lifetime.
Action-1
In-positive / Surprise url
A friend leaves town without telling anyone
- He’s vanished into thin air.
- He suddenly disappeared off the face of the earth.
- It happened in a way that we least expected.
- I’m in a state of shock.
- You’ve got to be kidding me.
- I had a sneaking suspicion that this was going to happen.
- I would never have suspected that.
- Woah, I am shocked.
A friend leaves town without telling anyone
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 / Amazed url
After seeing a great magic trick
- That’s the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen in my whole life.
- I can’t believe it.
- At first glance, it didn’t seem in the realm of possibility.
- It’s enough to blow your mind.
- It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen.
- It happened right before my eyes, and I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it myself.
- It knocked my socks off.
- This one tops them all.
- Boy oh boy!
- That’s a show stopper.
- Goodness gracious!
- How did he do that?
- I don’t know how you did this.
- My goodness, how did that happen?
After seeing a great magic trick
Out-neutral / Advice url
Perseverance
- Don’t give up.
- You can’t give up that easily.
- You can’t back out now.
- Don’t give up yet.
- Don’t give up the ship.
- See it through to the end.
- Hold on tight.
- We’ll stick through thick and thin.
Perseverance
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