Fifteen Thousand Useful Phrases, Grenville Kleiser [learn to read books TXT] 📗

good of you to come out and join us

It will create a considerable sensation

It will divert your thoughts from a mournful subject

It will give me pleasure to do it

It will not alter my determination

It would be ill-advised

It would interest me very much

It would seem to be a wise decision

It would take too long to formulate my thought

J

Join us, please, when you have time

Just trust to the inspiration of the moment

Justify it if you can

L

Let me persuade you

Let me say how deeply indebted I feel for your kindness

Let me speak frankly

Let us grant that for the sake of the argument

Let us take a concrete instance

M

Many thanks—how kind and good you are!

May I ask to whom you allude?

May I be privileged to hear it?

May I speak freely?

May I venture to ask what inference you would draw from that?

Might I suggest an alternative?

Most dangerous!

My attitude would be one of disapproval

My confidence in you is absolute

My idea of it is quite the reverse

My information is rather scanty

My meaning is quite the contrary

My point of view is different, but I shall not insist upon it

My views are altered in many respects

N

No, I am speaking seriously

No, I don't understand it

Not at all

Not to my knowledge

Nothing could be more delightful

Now is it very plain to you?

Now you are flippant

O

Obviously the matter is settled

Of course, but that again isn't the point

Of course I am delighted

Of course I don't want to press you against your will

Of course you will do what you think best

Oh, certainly, if you wish it

Oh, do not form an erroneous impression

Oh, I appreciate that in you!

Oh, that's mere quibbling

Oh, that's splendid of you!

Oh, that was a manner of speaking

Oh, yes, I quite admit that

Oh, yes, you may take that for granted

Oh, you are very bitter

Oh, you may be as scornful as you like

On the contrary, I agree with you thoroughly

On the face of it, it sounds reasonable

One assumption you make I should like to contest

One has no choice to endure it

One must be indulgent under the circumstances

One thing I beg of you

P

Pardon me, but I don't think so

Pardon me, I meant something different

Perhaps I am indiscreet

Perhaps not in the strictest sense

Perhaps you do not feel at liberty to do so

Perhaps you think me ungrateful

Personally I confess to an objection

Please continue to be frank

Please do not think I am asking out of mere curiosity

Please forgive my thoughtlessness

Please make yourself at home

Pray don't apologize

Pray forgive me for intruding on you so unceremoniously

Pray go on!

Precisely, that is just what I meant

Put in that way it certainly sounds very well

Q

Question me, if you wish

Quibbling, I call it

Quite so

Quite the wisest thing you can do

R

Rather loquacious, I think [loquacious = very talkative]

Reading between the lines

Really? I should have thought otherwise

Really—you must go?

Reassure me, if you can

Reflect upon the possible consequences

Relatively speaking

Reluctantly I admit it

Reverting to another matter

S

Shall we have a compact?

She has an extraordinary gift of conversation

She is easily prejudiced

She seems uncommonly appreciative

She will be immensely surprised

Show me that the two cases are analogous

So far so good

So I inferred

So much the better for me

So you observe the transformation?

Something amuses you

Sometimes the absurdity of it occurs to me

Speaking with all due respect

Still, you might make an exception

Strangely it's true

Such conduct seems to me unjustifiable

Surely there can be no question about that

Surely we can speak frankly

Surely you sound too harsh a note

Surely you would not countenance that

T

Tell me in what way you want me to help you

Thank you for telling me that

Thank you for your good intentions

That, at least, you will agree to

That depends on one's point of view

That doesn't sound very logical

That is a counsel of perfection

That is a fair question, perhaps

That is a question I have often proposed to myself

That is a stroke of good fortune

That is a superb piece of work

That is a very practical explanation

That is admirably clear

That is certainly ideal

That is eminently proper

That is hardly consistent

That is inconceivable

That is just like you, if you will forgive me for saying so

That is most fortunate

That is most kind of you

That is most unexpected and distressing

That is not fair—to me

That is not to be lightly spoken of

That is precisely what I mean

That is quite true, theoretically

That is rather a difficult question to answer

That is rather a strange request to make

That is rather awkward

That is really good of you

That is the prevailing idea

That is tragic

That is true and I think you are right

That is very amiable in you

That is very curious

That is very felicitous

That is very gracious

That is what I call intelligent criticism

That is what I meant to tell you

That is a humiliating thought

That is a most interesting idea

That is such a hideous idea

That is the most incredible part of it

That might involve you in life-long self-reproach

That must be exceedingly tiresome

That ought to make you a little lenient

That reassures me

That shows the infirmity of his judgment

That theory isn't tenable

That was exceedingly generous

That was intended ironically

That was very thoughtful of you

That was very well reasoned

That will blast your chances, I am afraid

That will suit me excellently

That would be somewhat serious

That would be very discreditable

The agreement seems to be ideal

The idea is monstrous

The inference is obvious

The notion is rather new to me

The pleasure is certainly not all on your side

The reason is not so far to seek

The same problem has perplexed me

The sentiment is worthy of you

The simplest thing in the world

The situation is uncommonly delicate

The story seems to me incredible

The subject is extremely interesting

The tone of it was certainly hostile

The very obvious moral is this

The whole thing is an idle fancy

Then I have your permission?

Then you're really not disinclined?

Then you merely want to ask my advice?

There are endless difficulties

There are reasons which make such a course impossible

There is a good deal of sense in that

There is a grain of truth in that, I admit

There is food for reflection in that

There is my hand on it

There is no resisting you

There is nothing I should like so much

There is one inevitable condition

There is something almost terrifying about it

There must be extenuating circumstances

They amuse me immensely

This is a most unexpected pleasure

This is charmingly new to me

This is indeed good fortune

This is really appalling

This is really not a laughing matter

Those are my own private feelings

Those things are not forgotten at once

To me it's simply outrageous

To speak frankly, I do not like it

True, I forgot!

U

Undeniably true

Unfortunately I must decline the proposal

Unlikely to be so

Unquestionably superior

Unwholesome influence, I would say

V

Very good, I'll do so

Very well, I will consent

Vivacity is her greatest charm

Virtually accomplished, I believe

Vouch for its truth

W

We are all more or less susceptible

We are drifting away from our point

We are impervious to certain rules

We are merely wasting energy in this duel

We can safely take it for granted

We couldn't have a better topic

We had better agree to differ

We have had some conclusions in common

We must judge it leniently

We must not expose ourselves to misinterpretation

We owe you a debt of gratitude

We shall be glad to see you, if you care to come

We will devoutly hope not

Well, as a matter of fact, I have forgotten

Well done! I congratulate you

Well, I'm not going to argue that

Well, I call it scandalous

Well, I confess they don't appeal to me

Well, more's the pity

Well, perhaps it is none of my affair

Well, that is certainly ideal!

Well, this is good fortune

Well, yes—in a way

Well, you are a dreamer!

What a beautiful idea

What a charming place you have here

What a curious coincidence!

What a pretty compliment!

What a tempting prospect!

What an extraordinary idea!

What are your misgivings?

What can you possibly mean?

What conceivable reason is there for it?

What do you imagine my course should be?

What do you propose?

What is the next step in your argument?

What is there so strange about that?

What, may I ask, is your immediate object?

What unseemly levity on his part

What very kind things you say to me

What would you expect me to do?

What you have just said is even truer than you realize

What you propose is utterly impossible

Who is your sagacious adviser? [sagacious = sound judgment, wise]

Why ask such embarrassing questions?

Why did you desert us so entirely?

Why do you take it so seriously?

Will you allow me to ask you a question?

Will you be more explicit?

Will you have the kindness to explain?

Will you pardon my curiosity?

Will you permit me a brief explanation?

Would you apply that to everyone?

Would you mind telling me your opinion?

Y

Yes and no

Yes, but that is just what I fail to comprehend

Yes, I dare say

Yes, if you will be so good

Yes, it was extraordinarily fine

Yes, that is my earnest wish

Yes, that's undeniable

Yes? You were saying?

You agree with me, I know

You are a profound philosopher

You are a severe critic

You are delightfully frank

You are greatly to be envied

You are heartily welcome

You are incomprehensible

You are incorrigible

You are kind and comforting

You are most kind

You are not consistent

You are not serious, I hope

You are not seriously displeased with me?

You are quite delightful

You are rather puzzling to-day

You are right to remind me of that

You are unduly distressing yourself

You are very complimentary

You are very gracious

You're so tremendously kind about it

You're succeeding admirably

You're taking it all much too seriously

You're talking nonsense!

You're very good, I'm sure

You ask me—but I shouldn't wonder if you knew better than I do

You astonish me greatly

You behaved with great forbearance

You can hardly be serious

You cannot regret it more than I do

You could not pay me a higher compliment

You did it excellently

You did not clearly understand what I meant

You don't seem very enthusiastic

You excite my curiosity

You flatter my judgment

You have a genius for saying the right thing

You have asked me a riddle

You have asked the impossible

You have been wrongly informed

You have done me a great service

You have had a pleasant time, I hope

You have my deepest sympathy

You have my unbounded confidence

You have received a false impression

You have such an interesting way of putting things

You interest me deeply

You judge yourself too severely

You know I'm in an agony of curiosity

You know I'm not given to sentimentality

You