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Phrase: Beside the point
Definition of Beside the Point
The phrase beside the point means that something is not relevant or connected to the main topic being discussed.
If an idea, comment, or fact is beside the point, it does not help answer the main question or solve the main problem.
How to Use Beside the Point in Context
Using beside the point in English helps you show that information is not important to the discussion.
For example, if two people are talking about how to improve their English, and one mentions the weather, the weather is beside the point.
However, going off on a tangent is quite common in English; even if the new topic is beside the point, we can always come back to the original topic of conversation.
Examples of Beside the Point in Sentences
- Your story is interesting, but it is beside the point. We need to focus on the main issue.
- Whether you like the colour of the book’s cover is beside the point. What matters is the content.
- His opinion about sports is beside the point during a science discussion.
- The price of coffee is beside the point when we are talking about healthy eating habits.
- It is beside the point to argue about the time when the real problem is the work not being done.
Why You Should Know Beside the Point
Learning how to use beside the point will help you speak and write more clearly in English.
It shows you can recognize what information is important and what is not.
Next time someone says something unrelated to the topic of your conversation, you can say it is beside the point!
Flesch-Kincaid Readability Test
This post is understandable by someone with at least a 7th-grade education (age 12).
On the Flesch-Kincaid reading-ease test, this post scores 75.
The easier a passage is to read, the higher the score on a scale of 0 – 100.
