English Vocabulary for learners
Expressions with 'POINT'
from: 'at this point'
to: 'what's the point?'
| Expression | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| At this point | At the present time; right now. | “Perhaps at this point we should show the video.” |
| At that point | At that specific moment. | "The music stopped, and at that point people started to leave.” |
| At some point | At an unspecified moment. (We don't know when). | "We know that at some point the epidemic started on the west coast.” |
| At one point | At a certain moment in the past (one time only) | “The number of viewers at one point had reached one million.” |
| At no point | Not at any time; never (*inversion is used here) |
“At no point did the interviewer make me feel uncomfortable.” |
| Come/get to the point | Be specific; say what is most important. | "It took the speaker a long time to come to the point." |
| Get the point | Understand what has been said. | "There's no need to insist. I get the point!" |
| Get the point across | Make people understand what you are saying | "A diagram or picture will help you get the point across." |
| From (my) point of view | In (my) opinion; the way I see it | "From my point of view the matter does not require further investigation." |
| Have a point | You are right about something, or what you have said should be considered. | "You've got a point there. A professional photographer would do a better job." |
| Illustrate a point | Clarify or explain by showing an example. | The speaker illustrated his point by showing a diagram. |
| Make a point | Put across a proposition clearly and convincingly. | “Her mother sat back, convinced that she had made her point.” |
| Make a point of ... | Make a special effort to do something. | "She made a point of speaking to each guest." |
| Prove one's point | Show that one is right about something. | He showed a video to prove his point. |
| Sore point | A subject to be avoided because it causes anger or embarrassment. | "Don't talk to Mary about weight - that's a sore point!" |
| Up to a point | To some extent, but not competely. | I agree up to a point, but I'm not entirely convinced. |
| Point at something | Indicate something by extending one's finger. | People were nudging each other and pointing at the sky. |
| Point something out | Call attention to something. | The manager pointed out that the hotel had recently been renovated. |
| Take someone's point | Accept the validity of what someone says or suggests. | "That aspect is important too. I take your point." |
| That's beside the point | Irrelevant or not related to the subject being discussed | "The fact that I was ill and couldn't come is beside the point. I should have been invited!” |
| The point is ... | The fact is; what is important to note is ... | "The point is that he doesn't have a driving licence, so he can't drive us!" |
| The point of no return | You must continue what you have started, because you have gone so far that it is impossible to go back. | "I've sold my house. Now I've reached the point of no return and I must move out." |
| That's not the point | The essential element or most important aspect of something being discussed. | “Whether he can come or not is not the point. What matters is that we send him an invitation!“ |
| There's no point in ... | There's nothing to be gained from doing something. | "There's no point in writing to her. She never reads a letter!” |
| What's the point in ...? | You are asking if a particular action would be useful. | "What's the point in putting food in the fridge if there's no electricity?" |