Softening negative replies
Expanding devices could mainly be reduced to set formulae and sentences with verbs of thinking which often help to soften opinions as well as phrases of reservation. Softening formulae with but... are mostly used for apologies and polite refusals.
Consider the examples below illustrating different ways of expanding short answers. Think of more examples possible for some other functions of English.
| Functions | Examples |
| expressing an opinion | Do you think it’s going to rain? - (No,) I hope not. |
| Is he really competent? - (No,) I don’t believe so. | |
| Her state is changing for the better, isn’t it? -1 wouldn’t be so sure. | |
| declining an offer | Are you going to the concert? -I’d really like to say yes but I’m likely to be busy. |
| Would you like more cherries? -I’d rather not if you don’t mind, thank you. | |
| refusing permission | Can I go out tonight? - I’d rather you didn’t. |
| Can I borrow your bike? - No, please don’t. I’m sorry, but... | |
| disagreeing | Do you agree with our proposal? -Yes, up to a point, but (you see)... |
| refusing an answer (Do you know?) | I’ve no idea, I’m afraid /1 haven’t got a clue, I’m afraid. /1 wish I knew. |
| Sorry, it’s slipped my mind, I’m afraid. | |
| I’m afraid, I don’t know (yet) /can’t answer / remember/say offhand | |
| I have to admit/ say I don’t know a great deal about... | |
| (No,) I’m afraid, not. I’m sorry I can’t help you here. |
Task 17. Give polite answers to the following questions. (Choose any 5 sentences).
1. Do you mind my accompanying you to the meeting? - No.
2. Shall I ask our new assistant to join us? - No. We won’t need her.
3. Can I borrow your car to get there? - No. It is impossible.
4. May I use the telephone over there? - No. It is out of order.
5. Can you tell me where the meeting takes place? - No.
6. Do you know what’s going on there? - No. I have no idea.
7. Do you know where the secretary is? - Yes. In the office upstairs.
8. Can you spare me a few minutes? - Yes.
9. Have you got an extra copy of the agenda? - Yes.
10. Is it possible for me to get draft proposals? - Yes.
11. Do you agree with the project considered? - Yes but not completely.
12. Isn’t the initial project more time consuming? — No.
13. Still, do you prefer the latest variant? - Yes.
14. Is it the best solution? - Yes, except for some minor points.
15. So you don’t insist on further discussion? - No.
Task 18. Write a few appropriate remarks to indicate
a) refusing an answer;
b) refusing a permission.
AVOIDING SILENCE
Avoiding silence tactics and techniques are largely used to maintain smooth and uninterrupted flow of communication. Different “silence fillers” and attention signals are used to prevent or fill in different awkward pauses in a conversation. Those phrases perform the important function of indicating that you follow what is going on, your reaction is adequate and the talk would not end abruptly.
“Silence fillers”
| reply questions: | “attention signals”: | “allpurpose” nouns |
| short, echo, tag | exclamations and interjections | and fillers |
The tactics is quite common for the following functions:
expressing emphatic agreement, hesitation, surprise, concern, sympathy, praising etc.
Reply questions
Reply questions are used to politely demonstrate your interest in what is being said rather than to ask for information. There are three types of reply questions: short questions; question tags (negative and non-negative) and the so called “same-way” tag (only non-negative) and echo questions. Consider the examples below illustrating different ways of reacting politely; think of more examples.
| Functions | Polite reactions | |
| expressing attention | “It was great. ” - “Oh, yes? ” - “I really enjoyed the play” . | s |
| expressing interest | “There was an excellent performance last night.” - “Oh, was | i |
| there? ” | ||
| expressing emphatic | “It was a lovely party.” - “Yes, wasn’t it? ” | e |
| agreement | n | |
| expressing pity | So you’re getting a divorce, are you? How sad! | |
| expressing concern | Oh, it was his funeral yesterday, was it? | c |
| expressing surprise | “I opened the fridge and saw... a mouse!” - “A mouse?! In the | e |
| fridge?” |
Attention signals
Exclamations, interjections and fillers are necessary to demonstrate attention to your conversation partners. Exclamations are based on the use of pronouns, modals and set expressions Exclamations as well as interjections also help to emphasise different emotional reactions. Silence fillers, “allpurpose” nouns and hesitation devices perform the functions their names suggest, i.e. those of concealing embarrassment when hesitating, filling pauses to gain .me and the like. Consider the examples below illustrating different ways of reacting politely; think of more examples.
| Functions | Polite reactions | |
| praising/ attention / pity | Uh, how very exciting! / (How) interesting! /How very sad! | s |
| expressing interest/ surprise/ sympathy | What a beautiful sight! / What a surprise! /What a pity! | i |
| expressing delight/ concern/ disbelief | (That’s) Great! / (That’s) awful!/(That’s) impossible! | |
| expressing surprise/ concern/ disbelief | You can’t be serious! It can’t be!/You must be very upset/ joking! | e |
| expressing sympathy/ surprise | Oh dear/my God! Oh no!/ Gosh!/ Wow! Phew! /Oh, come on’ No! ’ ' | n |
| hesitating / expressing | um/ er...; a-yyy/the-eee/to-ooo//yes/uh-huh /mh-hmm | |
| concern | Well, now, that is to say/ I see what you mean. Quite. Right OK. | c |
| gaining time / explaining | Well, you see... Oh, let me think for a moment. The point is | e |
Task 19 Use the appropriate attention signals to react to the following:
a) you re told that you won in a lottery (say, a cruise abroad) / your friend won books worth $100 in a recent prize draw;
b) your friend tells you that he failed to join you yesterday because s/he missed the last train and had to spend the night at the station.