on the point of

on the point of 正要……之际，就要……之时

【用法】该短语后常接动名词，在句中可作表语或宾语补足语。

【例句】

◆ I was on the point of going out when you came．你来的时候我正要出去。 

◆ I found the train on the point of starting.我发觉列车马上就要开了。

【辨析】 on the point of，be about to和at the point of

on the point of与be about to同义，用法不同之处：on the point of后接动名词，而be about to后接动词原形。

如：We were on the point of watching TV when something went wrong with the TV station. =We were about to watch TV when something went wrong with the TV station。我们正要看电视时，电视台出了毛病。

at the point of作”就在……之前，快要……的时候”解，后常接名词。