Explanation
Do you want to sound more natural and dramatic in English? Stop overusing almost and very. Instead, try these two advanced phrases.
1. On the point of (Time – about to happen NOW)
Use on the point of to say that something was going to happen in the very next second – but something else interrupted it, or it almost happened.
Structure: on the point of + verb (-ing)
Examples:
- I was on the point of leaving when you called.
- She was on the point of tears. (special exception)
Remember: This is for immediate actions – right now or right then in the past.
2. To the point of (Degree – so extreme that...)
Use to the point of to describe a situation that has become so intense, it almost turns into something else.
Structure: to the point of + noun OR verb (-ing)
Examples:
- He was tired to the point of exhaustion.
- The view was beautiful to the point of being unreal.
Remember: This is about degree, not time.
Quick Comparison
Exercises
Fill in the blanks
2
Speaking & Writing
Exercise 1: Rephrasing (on the point of)
Verbally or in writing rephrase sentences using 'on the point of'.
Example:
Original: I was just about to leave when you called.
Rephrased: I was on the point of leaving when you called.
1. She was just about to cry when she heard the good news.
Rephrased: _______________________________________________
2. The plane was seconds away from taking off when the engine failed.
Rephrased: _______________________________________________
3. I almost fell asleep during the movie, but then the loud music woke me up.
Rephrased: _______________________________________________
4. He was ready to reveal the secret when the door suddenly opened.
Rephrased: _______________________________________________
5. The cake was just a moment from burning when she pulled it out of the oven.
Rephrased: _______________________________________________
6. We were about to give up the search when we heard a faint voice.
Rephrased: _______________________________________________
7. She was close to losing her patience with the noisy children.
Rephrased: _______________________________________________
8. The hiker was near collapsing from thirst when he found a stream.
Rephrased: _______________________________________________
9. I was just going to send the text when my phone died.
Rephrased: _______________________________________________
10. The actor was moments from walking onto the stage when he forgot his lines.
Rephrased: _______________________________________________
- She was on the point of crying when she heard the good news.
- The plane was on the point of taking off when the engine failed.
- I was on the point of falling asleep during the movie when the loud music woke me up.
- He was on the point of revealing the secret when the door suddenly opened.
- The cake was on the point of burning when she pulled it out of the oven.
- We were on the point of giving up the search when we heard a faint voice.
- She was on the point of losing her patience with the noisy children.
- The hiker was on the point of collapsing from thirst when he found a stream.
- I was on the point of sending the text when my phone died.
- The actor was on the point of walking onto the stage when he forgot his lines.
Exercise 2: Two-Clause Model
Instructions: Combine the two clauses below into one sentence using "on the point of" and "when" . Follow the model exactly.
Model:
You almost fell asleep. The doorbell rang.
→ I was on the point of falling asleep when the doorbell rang.
1. You almost left the house. Your phone rang.
→ _______________________________________________
2. She almost cried. Her friend told a funny joke.
→ _______________________________________________
3. He almost gave up on the puzzle. He found the last piece.
→ _______________________________________________
4. We almost ordered pizza. The restaurant called back with a table.
→ _______________________________________________
5. The car almost hit the tree. The driver turned the wheel at the last second.
→ _______________________________________________
6. I almost deleted the file. I realized it was the wrong one.
→ _______________________________________________
7. She almost accepted the job offer. She received a better email.
→ _______________________________________________
8. The baby almost fell asleep. The dog started barking loudly.
→ _______________________________________________
9. He almost confessed the truth. He lost his courage.
→ _______________________________________________
10. The sun almost rose. The rooster crowed.
→ _______________________________________________
1. I was on the point of leaving the house when my phone rang.
2. She was on the point of crying when her friend told a funny joke.
3. He was on the point of giving up on the puzzle when he found the last piece.
4. We were on the point of ordering pizza when the restaurant called back with a table.
5. The car was on the point of hitting the tree when the driver turned the wheel at the last second.
6. I was on the point of deleting the file when I realized it was the wrong one.
7. She was on the point of accepting the job offer when she received a better email.
8. The baby was on the point of falling asleep when the dog started barking loudly.
9. He was on the point of confessing the truth when he lost his courage.
10. The sun was on the point of rising when the rooster crowed.
Exercise 3: Rephrasing (to the point of)
Instructions: Rewrite each sentence below using "to the point of" instead of the underlined or bracketed words. Keep the meaning the same.
Example:
Original: He was so tired that he could barely stand.
Rephrased: He was tired to the point of barely being able to stand.
1. She was so kind that she helped everyone she met.
Rephrased: _______________________________________________
2. The movie was so boring that I almost walked out.
Rephrased: _______________________________________________
3. He is so obsessed with cleanliness that he washes his hands twenty times a day.
Rephrased: _______________________________________________
4. The instructions were so confusing that nobody could follow them.
Rephrased: _______________________________________________
5. She loves her dog so much that she buys him birthday presents.
Rephrased: _______________________________________________
6. The weather became so cold that the pipes froze.
Rephrased: _______________________________________________
7. He is so honest that he hurts people's feelings.
Rephrased: _______________________________________________
8. The music was so loud that it damaged my ears.
Rephrased: _______________________________________________
9. She exercises so intensely that she collapses from exhaustion.
Rephrased: _______________________________________________
10. The view was so beautiful that it looked unreal.
Rephrased: _______________________________________________
- She was kind to the point of helping everyone she met.
- The movie was boring to the point of making me almost walk out.
- He is obsessed with cleanliness to the point of washing his hands twenty times a day.
- The instructions were confusing to the point of being impossible to follow.
- She loves her dog to the point of buying him birthday presents.
- The weather became cold to the point of freezing the pipes.
- He is honest to the point of hurting people's feelings.
- The music was loud to the point of damaging my ears.
- She exercises to the point of collapsing from exhaustion.
- The view was beautiful to the point of looking unreal.
Exercise 4: Two-Clause Model
Instructions: Combine the two clauses below into one sentence using "to the point of" . Follow the model exactly.
Model:
He was very tired. He could barely stand.
→ He was tired to the point of barely being able to stand.
1. The coffee was very bitter. Nobody could drink it.
→ _______________________________________________
2. She is very generous. She gives away her last dollar.
→ _______________________________________________
3. The room was very messy. It looked like nobody had cleaned it for months.
→ _______________________________________________
4. He is very stubborn. He never asks for help.
→ _______________________________________________
5. The speech was very long. People started falling asleep.
→ _______________________________________________
6. She is very optimistic. She finds something good in every problem.
→ _______________________________________________
7. The sauce was very spicy. It made my eyes water.
→ _______________________________________________
8. He is very hardworking. He never takes a day off.
→ _______________________________________________
9. The explanation was very simple. Important details were left out.
→ _______________________________________________
10. The silence in the room was very deep. You could hear a pin drop.
→ _______________________________________________
- The coffee was bitter to the point of being undrinkable.
- She is generous to the point of giving away her last dollar.
- The room was messy to the point of looking like nobody had cleaned it for months.
- He is stubborn to the point of never asking for help.
- The speech was long to the point of making people fall asleep.
- She is optimistic to the point of finding something good in every problem.
- The sauce was spicy to the point of making my eyes water.
- He is hardworking to the point of never taking a day off.
- The explanation was simple to the point of leaving out important details.
- The silence in the room was deep to the point of hearing a pin drop.
