In-negative / Doubt url
Someone saying he’s going on a new starvation diet
- It’s too high a price to pay.
- What gave you that idea?
- I just can’t picture it.
- You can’t believe everything you read.
- Boy, do you bounce from one extreme to another.
- I have a sneaking suspicion that you’re wasting your time.
- I’m sure you will, but I don’t give it much of a chance of success.
- The odds are against it.
- Where have I heard all of this before?
- I hope you know what you’re doing.
- You’ve got to take it with a grain of salt.
Someone saying he’s going on a new starvation diet
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
In-positive / Surprise url
A friend wins a big prize
- That’s a nice surprise.
- It’s like something out of a movie.
- You’re pulling my leg.
- Now how do you like that?
- I was so surprised when it happened.
- Get a load of this.
- Good heavens!
- Well blow me down.
- So what do you know?
A friend wins a big prize
In-positive / Confidence url
Husband telling his tired wife he will make dinner
- You let me worry about that.
- I can handle it.
- Let me handle this.
- Don’t you worry about a thing.
- Just leave it to me.
- This is just my cup of tea.
- You’re in good hands.
Husband telling his tired wife he will make dinner
Out-neutral / Advice url
Prepare
- You’ve got to plan for emergencies.
- Once the cat is out of the bag, anything can happen.
- You have to get ready for the possibility that afterwards your feelings may change.
- An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
- Expect the unexpected.
- Be prepared for the worst.
- Did you take that into account?
Prepare
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
In-negative / Desperation url
Can’t pay the mortgage
- Things have gotten totally out of hand.
- I’m having trouble making ends meet.
- What am I going to do?
- Sometimes I feel that it's all going to be downhill from here.
- I hope I haven’t blown it.
- Nowadays, it’s hard to make ends meet.
- I’m hanging by a thread.
- If this goes on I’m going to lose my mind.
- I was up all night worrying about it.
- I feel down and out.
- Sometimes I tell myself, ‘Don’t even bother’.
- When I hope that things will get better, I realize: don’t hold your breath.
- I feel like I’m beating a dead horse.
Can’t pay the mortgage
Out-neutral / Advice url
Be open-minded about other people
- He’s a cut above.
- I’m sure he’d be glad to do what you want.
- He has a mind of his own.
- She’s a tough cookie, but if you have patience, she’s something worth waiting for.
- I must admit, that even though it may not appear that way at first glance, that there’s a certain logic to what he’s saying.
- Don’t pass judgement.
- Two heads are better than one.
- If you can’t beat them, join them.
- She’s giving you every chance under the sun.
- I’m sure he didn’t mean anything by it.
Be open-minded about other people
Out-positive / Agreement url
If they closed 3rd Street to traffic the stores on that block would do more business.
- I think you’re onto something.
- I guess you’re right.
- That’s certainly an idea that’s worth trying.
- That sounds like a good idea to me.
- That make’s sense.
- I think they should give it a shot.
- Likewise!
If they closed 3rd Street to traffic the stores on that block would do more business.
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 / Observation url
General-1
- Birds of a feather flock together.
- Blood is thicker than water.
- Actions speaks louder than words.
- It’s raining cats and dogs.
- News travels fast.
- It’s all in a day’s work.
- An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
- The rich get richer and the poor get poorer.
- There’s a lot of that going around.
- The more things change, the more they remain the same.
- It’s on its last legs.
- What goes around, comes around.
General-1
In-positive / Surprise url
Learning that a friend is ill
- His illness came out of the blue.
- He’s never been sick a day in his life.
- I don’t know what to say.
- I didn’t expect that.
- It’s beyond comprehension.
- What brought this on?
- I still can’t believe it’s true.
- I’m in a state of denial.
- It came as a great shock.
- I found the news earth shattering.
Learning that a friend is ill