We saw a good film last week.

[Alice Chu]

Please tell me if the following information is correct.
I don’t understand what “a definite point in time” means.

https://www.ef.com/wwen/english-resources/english-grammar/simple-past-tense/

• a definite point in time: last week, when I was a child, yesterday, six weeks ago
  We saw a good film last week.
• an indefinite point in time: the other day, ages ago, a long time ago
  People lived in caves a long time ago.

 

[Tarheel]

When you talk about a definite point in time, you are being specific. Even if it's a long period of time (when I was a child) you are being specific about when it occurred. Does that help?

 

[5jj]

Even if it's a long period of time (when I was a child) you are being specific about when it occurred.

I don't agree. For me, 'when I was a child' is far too long a time to be called a point in time. It's a (definite) period of time for me.

 

[jutfrank]

I think of when I was a child as a specific point in time, at least in the mind of the speaker. It doesn't matter that childhood lasted several years in 'objective' time—it's the psychological aspectuality that counts here.

Also, I disagree with both the distinction made in post #1 between 'definite' and 'indefinite' points in time and the terms used. The writer seems to be trying to make a distinction about how specific the speaker wants to be.

 

[Tarheel]

I don't agree. For me, 'when I was a child' is far too long a time to be called a point in time. It's a (definite) period of time for me.

I have to admit I don't totally agree with myself on that one.

 

[Tdol]

I'd say that by indefinite point, the person means a period that ended in the past.