Third person 

 

Someone who's lying will try to keep the self-references to a bare minimum. 

 

They use the third-person as a means of distancing themselves from the deception¹. 

 

So, for example, instead of saying "I didn't do it" they might say "that didn't happen". 

 

Being negative 

 

Listen out for the sort of language someone you suspect is lying is using. 

 

If they're using negative language, that's a good indicator² as liars³ express a lot of negativity because they subconsciously⁴ feel bad about lying. 

 

Keeping it simple 

 

Because it's difficult for liars to come up with a complex story on the spot, they often offer simplified stories, with no nuance⁵. 

 

Watch out for generalised and over-simplified terms explanations. 

 

Overly-complex phrasing 

 

But, somewhat confusingly, although their stories, excuses and explanations are simple, the phrases they use tend to waffle and go on a bit. 

 

Keep and ear out for complex and disjointed sentences with unnecessary detail - it's a good sign they're telling porkies.

点击收听单词发音