Bảo rehearses a draft talk with his teacher and receives feedback before the presentation.
run by
Can I run my idea by you before the meeting?
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Can I run my idea by you before the meeting?
We ran the plan by our teacher first.
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We ran the plan by our teacher first.
View meaning & usage
Show an idea to someone for feedback
run something by someone
Put the idea between “run” and “by”, followed by the person giving feedback. This is not about running past someone; the past form is “ran”.
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Bảo examines a chart with many walking votes; the results suggest walking is the popular choice.
point to
The survey results point to a strong interest in walking.
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The survey results point to a strong interest in walking.
These signs point to a problem with the plan.
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These signs point to a problem with the plan.
View meaning & usage
Suggest or indicate a result
results / signs point to something
Here the subject is a result or sign. It suggests a possibility, rather than simply describing someone pointing a finger at an object.
Haven't studied yet
The examples were written for this course. Usage was checked against Matt Errey’s book, pages 49, 120, 132, 108, 98. A2–B1 is the course’s intended level.
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Sentences using suggestions are counted as needing more practice. Review schedule based on each phrase's meaning.
Drag a wire from the dot beside a phrase to the dot beside its matching picture. You can also tap a phrase, then a picture. Drag again to change a pair before checking.
Read the picture descriptions for more context. Similar expressions are accepted when they fit the particular scene.
Phrases
Actions in the pictures
Picture description
Bảo uses a drawing to explain an idea; his listeners nod with understanding.
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Picture description
Bảo points to three illustrated steps in order as he explains a game to a friend.
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Picture description
Bảo briefly mentions a tree picture on the board before moving to the main poster.
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Picture description
Bảo rehearses a draft talk with his teacher and receives feedback before the presentation.
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Picture description
Bảo examines a chart with many walking votes; the results suggest walking is the popular choice.
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Choose a phrase to begin.
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A conversation in context
Read the conversation and find the expressions you have learned.
Mai
Did I get the main point across?
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Did I get the main point across?
Alex
Yes. You only touched on the costs, though.
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Yes. You only touched on the costs, though.
Mai
I will spell those out before we finish.
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I will spell those out before we finish.
Compare the uses
get across / touch on
“Get across” means communicate successfully; “touch on” means mention briefly. Mentioning a point does not guarantee that listeners understand it.
Practice and check your answers
Try answering before revealing the suggested answer. This practice is not scored.
The answers below are models. Other answers can also work if they preserve the facts, meaning and structure requested in the task.
A situation to apply what you have learned
A speaker makes the main idea clear but mentions delivery costs only briefly. Listeners need the details.
Describe successfully communicating the main idea.
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She got the main idea across.
The listeners understood the main idea, so “got the main idea across” describes successful communication.
Correct: Could you spell out it for us?
Show the answer and explanation
Could you spell it out for us?
“It” replaces the information to explain clearly and goes between “spell” and “out”.
Ask for more than a brief mention of costs.
Show the answer and explanation
Please spell out the delivery costs instead of only touching on them.
“Spell out the delivery costs” requests details; merely “touching on” them has not met the listeners’ need.
The usage comparisons are checked against the Cambridge Dictionary entries linked beside the compared expressions. The additional conversations and exercises are written for this course.
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