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Complete PICLE corpus of essays by Polish advanced EFL students (330,000)

/^t/Another example when not being straight is considered to be right is a situation when we tell a white lie in order to prevent embarassment and avoid hurting other people's feelings. It is always more advisable to tell a fib while refusing an unwelcome lunch invitation and say "Unfortunately I can't go, because I have a very important appointment" than stay "moral" and say "I hate you. Get off my back!". Such lying, again cannot be condemned as it is stretching the truth for the benefit of other people, and is in no respect aimed at destroying one's reputation, undermining somebody or gaining personal advantages.