bullet

Everyday

1. A bullet is a small piece of metal shot out of a gun. tree →
2. A bullet point is a dot (•) in front of each item in a list. tree →
3. Bullet is used for things that are very fast, like a bullet train. tree →

In the lessons

In safety lessons: guns and bullets are very dangerous; if you find one, don't touch it, and tell an adult. In school writing, bullet points make lists clear in notes and fact files. In everyday life a «bullet train» is a very fast train in Japan. Phrases: «bite the bullet» (do something hard you have been avoiding), «as fast as a bullet».

Examples

• Write the facts as bullet points. tree →
• The bullet train travels very fast. tree →
• If you find a bullet or a gun, don't touch it — tell an adult. tree →
• Each bullet point should be short. tree →
• I bit the bullet and told Mum I broke the vase. tree →
• The police found a bullet at the scene. tree →
• He went like a bullet out of a gun. tree →

Note

Countable: bullets. Spelled with double l and one t: bullet. A bullet is what flies out; the gun fires it. In stories, «bulletproof» means bullets cannot get through.