Common American English Exclamation

Note: The following exclamations all have approximately the same meaning.They are generally used by women and express surprise, astonishment,fear, or consternation.
Heavens!
Goodness!
Heaven forbid!
My goodness!
Good heavens!
For goodness sake!
Heaven help us!
For goodness sakes!
For heaven's sake!
Mercy!
For heaven's sakes!
Mercy me!
Land sakes!
Other exclamations frequently used by women:
My! (said in surprise or admiration)
Oh, my! (said in surprise, admiration, or in a worried fashion)
My, my! (said in surprise or in a worried fashion)
My word! (said in surprise or astonishment)
Well, I never! (said in amazement)

Questia Media America, Inc. www.questia.com Publication Information: Book Title: Effective Techniques for English Conversation Groups. Contributors: Julia M. Dobson - author. Publisher: Newbury House Publishers. Place of Publication: Rowley, MA. Publication Year: 1974. Page Number: 129.