What Sentence or use of preposition is correct what should I say
You are on the point of a good start
Or
You are at the right point of a good start
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1In this particular instance, you want to say "at" instead of "on". But if you saw your brother Billy standing on a bluff overlooking the sea, you'd say "Billy is on the point". And if you were later having an argument with Billy and your friend Sally said something to support you, you'd say "Sally is on point" (i.e. Sally is correct; she made a cogent point in the discussion).– Dan BronCommented Sep 26, 2015 at 11:19
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confused . So at my situation of sentence which one is correct ?– varshaCommented Sep 26, 2015 at 11:23
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Re-read the first sentence of my comment, please.– Dan BronCommented Sep 26, 2015 at 11:27
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Can you please clarify the idea you are trying to express with this sentence? They both sound unclear to me, and neither is idiomatic.– Nate EldredgeCommented Oct 27, 2015 at 5:52
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2 Answers
When you are at something, that something is typically a place - whether:
a physical area that one travels to
or a logical idea of "place" referring to "where" one is during some progressive activity like a project or race.
Point can be a synonym for place in both situations, though point would infer a narrower area than a place.
When you are on something, you are typically touching it and usually physically above it. (Of couse, on and at like many English prepositions have multiple meanings and appear in phrasal verbs.)
So this obivously can be true of many types of physical places.
I am at First Street. (First Street is a place)
I am on First Street. (You're physically standing on First Street)
Not so much with "logical" places:
I am at a good stopping point with this project and can take a break.
I am on a good stopping point with this project and can take a break.
To me the second sentence sounds a bit awkward though it's not completely unclear.
On point is also a well-known phrase meaning "well prepared" or "excellently done" so the use of on and point could be potentially confusing.
[countable] a particular time or stage of development The climber was at/on the point of death when they found him.
From Oald, point, no. 6 http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/point_1?q=point