In-negative / Explaining url
Being late for work

- I’ve had one of those days.
- I lost all track of time.
- Everything that could go wrong did go wrong.
- It’s a long story.
- It’s just not my day.
- I’ve been burning the candle at both ends.
- It was just one thing after another.
- Before I knew it, more time had passed than I had anticipated.
- It’s the last thing in the world that I thought was going to happen.
- I have no excuse for myself.
- I just don't have any sense of time.
Being late for work
Out-positive / Encouragement url
For a friend who just got engaged

- This a golden opportunity, in fact an opportunity of a lifetime.
- It’s going to take effort to make it succeed, but there’s a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
- You’re such a fine judge of character.
- You’ve got a lot to look forward to.
- I’m glad it worked out for you.
- Lucky for you.
- This could be the most important thing you ever did in your life.
- Keep the home fires burning.
For a friend who just got engaged
Out-positive / Thanks url
General thanks

- That was real sweet of you.
- You’re a life saver.
- I’m touched by your concern.
- Thank you for the kind words.
- I owe you one.
- Let me make it up to you.
- Thank you for your patience.
- I appreciate the suggestion.
- One good turn deserves another.
- Thanks for letting me know.
- I owe you a great deal.
- You’re always there when I need a friend.
- I couldn’t have done it without you.
- That’s nice of you to say that.
- I just may take you up on that.
- Don’t think for one minute that I wouldn’t do the same for you.
- It’s the thought that counts.
- I would be delighted to accept your generous offer.
- Thanks for giving me the red carpet treatment.
- I feel like this is my home away from home.
- I was as hungry as a bear, and I really appreciate the delicious meal.
- Thanks for the warning.
- What you did was incredibly helpful.
- Thank you for the useful tip.
General thanks
Out-positive / Agreement url
I think the company should match our charity contributions.

- That’s a sensible idea.
- You have a good point there.
- You sold me.
- I think that makes a lot of sense.
- It makes sense to me.
- I see what you’re driving at.
- Sounds good to me.
I think the company should match our charity contributions.
Out-negative / Anger url
Stop what you are doing-2

- Are you trying to start up with me?
- You wouldn’t dare.
- Let that be a warning to you.
- There’s no excuse for that.
- Who do you think I am?
- Hold your horses.
- Don’t you dare do any such thing.
- Haven’t you done enough harm already?
- Don’t make a scene.
- Let’s drop the subject!
- Wait just a cotton picking minute.
- Where do you think you’re going?
- You just can’t help yourself, can you?
- Enough of that.
- OK, enough of this for now.
Stop what you are doing-2
Out-neutral / Advice url
Stronger-2

- Play it to the hilt.
- Stick to your guns.
- You have to stand on your own two feet.
- Give it your all.
- Don’t be such a wimp.
- Hang tight.
- No pain no gain.
- You’re on your own.
- Don’t underestimate yourself.
- Give it you’re best.
- Show what you are made of.
- Try your best to keep in mind the basic rules of success.
- See it through to the end.
- Success breeds success.
Stronger-2
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-negative / Explaining url
Feeling depressed

- Things have gotten completely out of control.
- I’m not feeling well now, but hopefully I’ll feel a lot better in the near future.
- I’ve been better.
- I have to figure it out for myself.
- You’re catching me at a bad time.
- I’m having a tough time.
- Recently I’ve been bouncing around like a yo-yo.
- I’ve had my ups and downs.
- I'm not myself.
- I have a lot on my mind.
- I never said it was going to be any different from the way it turned out.
- I never saw myself that way before.
- I feel like a bundle of nerves.
- I feel like a bump on a log.
- If you only knew what I’ve been through.
- I’ve been feeling under the weather.
- What I've been through has really knocked the stuffing out of me.
- Whenever I’m nervous, I tend to clam up.
- After a while, I just ran out of steam.
Feeling depressed
Out-neutral / Advice url
Improve

- Promise to do better.
- It should teach you a lesson.
- Act your age.
- Make a clean break with the past, with your old way of doing things.
- Act like a human being.
- Do what you do, but do it well.
- Don’t be such a nerd.
- Practice makes perfect.
- Stop playing around.
- Stop feeling sorry for yourself.
- Shape up or ship out.
Improve
In-negative / Explaining url
After investing in worthless land

- I fell for it hook, line and sinker.
- I had no idea what I was getting myself into.
- I should have known.
- It seemed like the right to do thing at the time.
- It took me totally by surprise.
- I was talked into it.
- The thought that this would be such a bad decision never crossed my mind.
- There’s not a whole lot I can do about it at this point.
- That never would have dawned on me.
- I didn’t see it coming.
- In theory that was how it was supposed to play out, but in actuality that’s not what happened.
- How was I supposed to know that?
- It beats me how that could have happened.
- It was an honest mistake.
- It could happen to anyone.
- I’m sorry that things didn’t work out the way I expected them to.
- I found out the hard way.
- The thought never even crossed my mind.
- That was something I wasn’t even aware of.
- Frankly, it’s just not something I could have anticipated.
- That’s something I just didn’t count on.
- They really took me to the cleaners.
- I must admit, from the beginning the whole thing wasn’t clear to me, and went way over my head.
- I was a sitting duck.
- I was being penny wise and pound foolish.
After investing in worthless land
Out-negative / Push away url
I won’t do it

- I don’t feel like it.
- It’s not my cup of tea.
- I will do no such thing.
- It just isn’t for me.
- I need that like a hole in the head.
- Leave me out of it.
- I don’t have time for that nonsense.
- That’s none of your business.
- That’s out of the question.
- Under no circumstances!
- Not on your life.
- Nothing doing.
I won’t do it
In-positive / Confidence url
Starting a new job

- I’m going straight to the top.
- I have what it takes.
- I’ll get the hang of it.
- Things are going my way.
- I know where it’s at.
- I’m perfectly capable of doing it.
- I’m getting the hang of it.
- It’s going ahead as planned.
- You can rest assured that everything will be taken care of, and that everything will exceed your expectations.
Starting a new job