Five Ways to Tell If Someone is Lying

There is no foolproof way to tell when someone is lying; some people lie as easily as they tell the truth. Many experts will encourage you to look for body language -- such as excessive blinking, looking away, nervousness or fidgeting with their hands -- but the truth is that you cannot read someone's body language unless you know them very well. However, you can try some of these methods to out a liar, even when that person is a professional at hiding the truth.

Ways to Tell if Someone is Lying: They Can't Answer Questions

Often, people don't think through lies before they tell them. For example, if your friend is trying to tell you that they couldn't make lunch because they were having lunch with someone else, you can easily out their lie by asking for details. Where did they have lunch? What did they eat? How long were they there? Many times, people get nervous when asked questions, and if you ask lots of questions, they may think you know that they are lying.

Ways to Tell if Someone is Lying: The Flip Side -- They Give Too Many Details

People have started to figure out that telling a poorly-thought-out lie gets them caught, so they begin to weave wild tales when they are lying. For example, when asked why she was out so late last night, your girlfriend might tell you that she was driving down the street when she saw an old friend in a passing car. She waved her down, and they pulled into a parking lot and got to talking. They decided to get a cup of coffee at Starbucks, where they discussed religion, politics and pop culture. Then she decided to stop at the grocery store where she purchased a loaf of bread, a six-pack of soda and a carton of milk. She then went to the Chevron to get gas, and finally headed home.

When most people are telling the truth, they don't feel it necessary to expound upon every detail of their day, but they also don't get nervous when they are asked questions. It's a fine line.

Ways to Tell if Someone is Lying: There are Inconsistencies

One way that you can improve you ability to tell if someone is lying is to listen closely. Most people only listen with half an ear as they wait for their turn to talk, which doesn't help anyone. Instead, listen to everything someone says, and try to pinpoint inconsistencies. For example, if your friend insists that she was visiting her relative at the hospital during your party (she'd promised she'd be there), but your party didn't start until nine o'clock and you know that visiting hours end at eight p.m., then you would notice that inconsistency.

Ways to Tell if Someone is Lying: They Get Irritated

When people feel as though they are being backed into a corner, they get irritated rather quickly. A casual conversation with your boyfriend or girlfriend shouldn't result in snide remarks and irritation; that's a sure sign that someone is lying. The same goes for someone who cuts off a conversation on the phone or who changes the subject quickly. Most people don't get irritated by questions if they're telling the truth.

Ways to Tell if Someone is Lying: They Turn it On You

My sister is a pathological liar (I say that with love), but I can always tell if she's lying because she turns everything around on me. For example, if I continue to question her or if I let her know that her story doesn't make sense, she gets immediately angry and says something along the lines of, "You don't trust me!" or "How could you accuse me of that?" Most people who tell the truth aren't rattled when someone accuses them of lying. They know that they're telling the truth, and they assume that the facts will speak for themselves.