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-negative / Explaining url
Waking up after being drunk
- When I woke up I was so disoriented that at first I couldn’t remember where I was.
- I don’t know what to tell you.
- I’m wiped out.
- My head is pounding.
- I feel totally depleted.
- I went into a tailspin.
- I’m going to take a short walk outside just to clear my head.
- I was caught red-handed.
- I’ve been caught with my hand in the cookie jar.
- The bottom line is that I just couldn’t help it.
- Don’t remind me.
- I feel like I’ve been dragging myself around all day.
- I need more shut-eye.
- It knocked the wind knocked out of me.
Waking up after being drunk
Out-neutral / Advice url
Accept it-1
- Come to terms with it.
- You can’t always get what you want.
- I don’t think you have a choice.
- You’d better get used to it.
- It’s a change for the best.
- You can’t make it last forever.
- Put it in the past.
- You did it of your own free will.
- It’s out of your hands now.
- Let’s face it.
- You have to put up with it.
- You got off lucky this time.
- No use crying over spilled milk.
- You can’t have your cake and eat it too.
- Different strokes for different folks.
- The message is direct, clear, and in your face.
- You made your bed, now lie in it.
- Life has its twists and turns.
Accept it-1
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
Out-neutral / Advice url
Move on
- Let it slide, let it go, don’t pay it any mind.
- Don’t give it another thought.
- I’d just not think about it if I were you.
- Make the best of it.
- Make the best of the situation.
- Don’t get bogged down.
- A change of scenery will do you a world of good.
- Don’t cry over spilled milk.
- Don’t pay it any mind.
- Don’t focus on the negative, look at the bright side.
Move on
Out-negative / Push away url
Stay away from me
- You give me the creeps.
- Keep your claws off me.
- You make my skin crawl.
- That’s none of your business.
- That’s not for you to judge.
- Keep your hands to yourself.
- Don’t rain on my parade.
- Don’t come barging in here.
- I’ve had enough of this, I want out.
- Good riddance!
- Oh, get lost.
- Don’t overstay your welcome.
Stay away from me
Out-neutral / Negotiating url
I find your viewpoint hard to understand-1
- That’s wishful thinking.
- That’s neither here nor there.
- That leads us right back to where we started.
- Is that too much to ask?
- That’s beside the point.
- Now that’s a horse of a different color.
- You’re missing the point.
- You’ve missed the whole point.
- That’s not the same thing at all.
- It happens to be true whether you choose to believe or not.
- Put it whatever way you want.
- I wasn’t born yesterday.
I find your viewpoint hard to understand-1
Out-positive / Encouragement url
For a friend who just got into a top business school
- You sure have come a long way.
- I’m not surprised that you succeeded, I always knew you had it in you.
- Shoot for the moon, and give it all you’ve got.
- You’re as smart as a whip.
- There’s no limit to what you can accomplish if you put your mind to it.
- What more could you ask for?
- With this under your belt, a golden future can be yours.
- I have absolute faith in you.
- It’s the opportunity of a lifetime.
- I don’t know how you accomplished so much in such a short period of time.
For a friend who just got into a top business school
In-negative / Doubt url
To a friend who won’t leave the house at 2AM
- Can’t you take a hint?
- Don’t overstay your welcome.
- Sometimes it’s best just to call it a day.
- All good things must come to an end.
- There’s a time for everything.
- Too much of a good thing is not good.
- I can’t wait around all night for you to make up your mind.
- Don’t let the door hit you on your way out.
To a friend who won’t leave the house at 2AM
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
In-neutral / Caution url
Thinking of dating someone from the wrong side of the tracks
- I feel that persion might be a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
- Assumptions can be deceptive.
- I don’t know where this is all heading.
- If you ask me I think I should just call the whole thing off.
- I think that could be like opening up a Pandora’s box.
- That might be wishful thinking.
- Curiosity killed the cat.
- Where there’s smoke there’s fire.
- I have a funny feeling that I should drop it like a hot potato if I know what’s good for me.
- Am I seeing the world with rose colored glasses?
Thinking of dating someone from the wrong side of the tracks
Out-positive / Friendship url
Asking for a favor
- Can I ask you for a huge favor?
- Can you give me a hand?
- I could use your help with something I’m doing.
- Do you have any free time to give me some help?
- I’m confused about something, and I’d appreciate it if you could help clear things up.
- I'm so glad I reached you, because you’re a hard person to get a hold of.
- Just tell me one thing.
- Can I have a word with you?
- Could you spare a minute?
Asking for a favor