If two friends of yours had a big argument and both came to you, how would you handle being stuck in the middle?

A natural way to answer

I would try to stay neutral and be a good listener for both of them. I'd avoid repeating what one said to the other, since that usually fuels the conflict. Ultimately, I'd encourage them to sit down together, because they're the only ones who can actually resolve it.

Key phrases to use

• caught in the crossfire — to be involved in a conflict between two others without wanting to be“I got caught in the crossfire of their breakup.”
• take sides — to support one person in an argument against another“I refuse to take sides between my two best friends.”
• playing them off against each other — encouraging two people to compete or argue for your own benefit“She was playing them off against each other to get what she wanted.”
• dragged into — to be unwillingly pulled into a situation or argument“I don't want to be dragged into their feud.”