How to tell if someone is lying can be discovered through body language and speech mannerisms. When I was a kid in trouble, my dad used look me directly in the eyes and say, "Don't lie to me. I can tell by the look on your face when you're lying." Another time we were watching one of Bush's speeches when my dad said, "Look at him. His eyes are darting, and he's licking his lips. He's lying."

Lying was one of his pet peeves, and invariably, he believed you could tell if someone is lying by their body language. "Research has shown that people tell between five to seven big lies a day." Keeping that in mind, wouldn't you like to know how to tell if someone is lying?

Unless a person is a skilled liar, there are many clues which may indicate whether someone is lying. Many people think the avoidance of eye contact is an indication of dishonesty. However, this may not necessarily be true; it can be a result of cultural differences, shyness, or low self-esteem. Regardless, there are many other tell-tale facial signs.

The tell-tale signs on how to tell if someone is lying are:

• The eyes may momentarily and unconsciously flicker to the left or right
• Pupils of the eye may narrow.
• Lying is stressful. It can cause certain areas of the body to become dry. They may lick their the lips or run their tongue across their teeth.
• People may swallow hard.
• They may momentarily smirk.
• They may have inappropriate facial reactions in comparison to what is said.
• They may have a fake smile. When a smile is sincere, all of the facial muscles are used. When a smile is insincere, only the muscles around the mouth are used. For instance, if a smile is insincere, the smile wrinkles around the eyes usually do not appear. Furthermore, when a smile is forced, the teeth usually do not appear.
• They may have a blank expression.
• Eyes move down and to the left or right.

In addition to facial reactions, body language can indicate lying. Some of these reactions are:

• They may act nervous, fidgety, or tap their foot.
• They may rub their forehead near the temples.
• People may feel threatened when they lie. They may keep the arms and close to the body as a protective measure.
• They may sweat more. A thin layer of perspiration may appear on the face and palms.
• Their face may become flushed.
• They may bite their lower lip or suck in their cheeks.
• When a person is under stress, tissues in the nose will fill up with blood, and their nose may itch.
• When a person lies, they may revert back to childhood reactions like covering their mouth, touching their head, or wringing their hands.
• They usually hide their palms or put their hands in their pockets.
• They may fiddle with objects or place objects between you and themselves.
• They are less likely to face you directly and may turn their face or body away from you.
• They may cross their arms or legs.
• They may subconsciously try to hide by their body by occupying less space. Their posture usually is not straight. They may slouch and pull their chest in.
• They may breathe heavier.
• They may use less hand gestures.
• They are more likely to
• They are less likely to correct imperfections in their stories.
• They are more likely to use second and third personal pronounts like we and they rather than I.

The way a person talks can also reveal if they are lying. Some of these indicators are:

• When people lie, they normally get defensive and raise their voice.
• Their voice tone may also be lower, and they appear less confident.
• They may answer a question with the words of question. For example, if you ask them if they took the money. They may answer, "No. I did not take the money."
• To get out of an uncomfortable situation, they may talk rapidly.
• A guilty person usually becomes defensive, whereas an innocent person becomes offensive.
• A person may speak more slowly; pause in between words; use stilted language or use filler words like uh, um, and ah while trying to choose their words or think of an explanation.
• They may say too much or too little.
• They are more likely to give short responses.
• They have a tendency to use less contractions. For instance, if they are asked, "Did you steal the money?" They may answer, "I did not steal the money."
• They may use terms like "to be perfectly honest" or "to tell the truth."
• They may take longer before answering a question.
• They are more likely to ask a question to be repeated.

Although none of these signs are conclusive by themselves, when you notice several signs, the chances are fairly good they are lying. One thing to remember when you are assessing behavior is whatever tell-tale sign you observe, it normally coincides with the moment the lie is being told. Furthermore, baseline behavior is important. If you know what a person acts like normally, it is easier to spot differences. Compare how they act before and after the suspected lie. Were they more relaxed before or after the suspected lie?

If you don't know a person very well, there are several things you can do. First, you can change the subject quickly. A liar will be relieved whereas someone who is not lying will be confused. They will not understand the abrupt change, and they will want to finish their stream of thought.

Being able to tell if someone is lying can be important in many areas of life. Lies can be revealed through the eyes, body language, and speech. However, do not base your conclusion on just one sign. The more signs you see, the more likely they are lying. If you suspect someone is lying to you, you may not want to confront them right away. If you wait a few days and have a replay of the conversation, inconsistencies in their story may arise. Furthermore, sometimes if you calmly ask them if they lied, they will be relieved and admit it.

You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time. - Abraham Lincoln

Do you like writing too? Do you want to share your thoughts and make money at the same time? If so, you have come to the right place! Hubpages is a great place to write! You can make money in four ways - Adsense, Amazon, Kontrera, and Ebay. Furthermore, Hubpage members are friendly and willing to help you learn the ropes. Sign up with Hubpages today for free!