Point of View: English Vocabulary List

used to indicate that one is not giving all the details of what happened but only the main points

"Long story short, I said no."

"To make a long story short I missed my flight and had to spend the night at the airport."

to ask some questions in order to figure out what someone is thinking of or what their opinion about a particular person or thing is

"I put out feelers."

"Before making a formal offer, she decided to put out feelers to gauge his interest in the position."

a different way of thinking or approaching a situation

"The other side of the coin is poverty."

"The other side of the coin is that although the job pays well the working hours are very long and tiring."

said before using a famous, overused, or made-up phrase

"To coin a phrase, it was a disaster."

"She was as happy as Larry to coin a phrase when she heard that she had won the lottery."

to be brave or sociable enough to deliver a lengthy public speech without allowing any interruption

"The senator held the floor for an hour."

"The professor held the floor for over an hour and nobody else had a chance to speak during the entire lecture."

used to emphasize that the exact opposite of what is said is true

"It is the other way around."

"You think I work for him but it is the other way around he actually works for me."

to manage to state one's opinions regarding something after or in the middle of someone else's prolonged speech

"She never lets me get a word in edgewise."

"It is impossible to get a word in edgewise when my mother starts talking on the phone."

a difficult or controversial issue or topic that is uncomfortable or risky to handle

"The issue becomes a hot potato for the politician."

"The issue of tax reform became a hot potato that politicians avoided discussing during election season."

used before stating a fact that one wants someone to know or remember

"For the record, I disagree."

"For the record I want to state that I was not present at the meeting when that decision was made."

a subject about which there are different opinions or disagreements

"The issue is a moot point."

"Whether the company should have invested more last year is now a moot point."

to expand one's knowledge, experiences, or perspectives, often by exploring new places, ideas, or cultures, with the aim of gaining a broader understanding of the world

"Travel helps to broaden your horizons."

"Traveling to different countries can broaden your horizons and help you understand other cultures better."

in a way that makes someone look bad or incapable

"The article showed him in a bad light."

"The article about the politician put him in a bad light and damaged his reputation among voters."

in a way that highlights someone's positive qualities or capabilities

"The interview showed her in a good light."

"The documentary showed the charity's work in a good light and donations increased significantly afterwards."

used to express one's opinions or beliefs

"For my money, she is the best singer."

"For my money chocolate ice cream is the best dessert you can possibly order at this restaurant."

a temporary state of feeling that causes one to have a particular set of emotions, beliefs, and behaviors toward a particular person or thing

"I am not in the right frame of mind."

"You need to be in the right frame of mind to study for the exam so take a break and relax first."

according to one’s opinion

"In his eyes, she can do no wrong."

"In her eyes he could do no wrong because she was completely and deeply in love with him."

to have the same thoughts, ideas, opinions, etc. about something

"We are all reading from the same page now."

"Before the meeting we need to make sure that everyone is reading from the same page about the new policy."

to express the same opinions or have the same understanding as someone else

"We sing from the same hymn book."

"During the meeting, both managers sang from the same hymn book about the company's future direction."

used to summarize or describe something briefly

"In a nutshell, it failed."

"In a nutshell the plan failed because we did not have enough money to complete it properly."

used to imagine how things would be if the situation was different

"Or else, I would be sad."

"Or else, he would have to face severe consequences for his repeated insubordination and negligence."

a situation in which two parties exchange ideas in order to find the best solution or approach to something

"We need give and take."

"Successful negotiations require a spirit of give and take, where both sides are willing to compromise."

a state when a person gets too focused on one thing, which can cause them to miss other important things

"He has tunnel vision."

"The manager's tunnel vision prevented him from seeing the broader market trends and adapting his strategy."