Softening Words in British English
British English often uses softening words to sound polite and less direct.
Common softeners: a bit, quite, rather, perhaps, maybe, slightly
Direct:
The price is too high.
British polite:
The price is a bit high.
Choose the more polite British version.
1. The price is too high.
______
The price is a bit high.
a) The price is a bit high.
b) The price is too high.
2. This is expensive.
______
This is quite expensive.
a) This is expensive.
b) This is quite expensive.
3. The timeline is unrealistic.
______
The timeline is rather ambitious.
a) The timeline is rather ambitious.
b) The timeline is unrealistic.
4. This plan is wrong.
______
This plan may be slightly off.
a) This plan is wrong.
b) This plan may be slightly off.
5. That will not work.
______
That might be a bit difficult.
a) That might be a bit difficult.
b) That will not work.
6. The figures are wrong.
______
The figures seem a bit off.
a) The figures are wrong.
b) The figures seem a bit off.
7. This is unclear.
______
This is a bit unclear.
a) This is a bit unclear.
b) This is unclear.
8. The delivery is late.
______
The delivery is slightly delayed.
a) The delivery is late.
b) The delivery is slightly delayed.
9. This is a problem.
______
This could be a bit of an issue.
a) This could be a bit of an issue.
b) This is a problem.
10. That is impossible.
______
That may be rather difficult.
a) That is impossible.
b) That may be rather difficult.
11. This needs changing.
______
This might need adjusting.
a) This might need adjusting.
b) This needs changing.
12. The price is unacceptable.
______
The price is quite high.
a) The price is unacceptable.
b) The price is quite high.
13. This is incorrect.
______
This seems slightly incorrect.
a) This seems slightly incorrect.
b) This is incorrect.
14. The timing is bad.
______
The timing is not ideal.
a) The timing is bad.
b) The timing is not ideal.
15. That is too expensive.
______
That’s rather expensive.
a) That’s rather expensive.
b) That is too expensive.
16. The plan is risky.
______
The plan is perhaps a bit risky.
a) The plan is risky.
b) The plan is perhaps a bit risky.
17. This is not correct.
______
This is not quite correct.
a) This is not quite correct.
b) This is not correct.
18. We must change this.
______
We may need to change this.
a) We must change this.
b) We may need to change this.
19. This is a mistake.
______
This looks like a slight mistake.
a) This looks like a slight mistake.
b) This is a mistake.
20. The delivery is late.
______
The delivery is a bit delayed.
a) The delivery is late.
b) The delivery is a bit delayed.
21. This is too slow.
______
This is rather slow.
a) This is rather slow.
b) This is too slow.
22. That is wrong.
______
That seems a bit off.
a) That is wrong.
b) That seems a bit off.
23. The plan is unrealistic.
______
The plan seems quite ambitious.
a) The plan seems quite ambitious.
b) The plan is unrealistic.
24. This is a problem.
______
This might be a slight issue.
a) This is a problem.
b) This might be a slight issue.
25. The schedule is impossible.
______
The schedule may be a bit tight.
a) The schedule may be a bit tight.
b) The schedule is impossible.