ENGLISH
REFERENCE

concentrate on sth

phr. v..
B1 Intermediate Oxford

phr. v.. to give all your attention to one thing or activity.

phr. v.. to direct one's mental effort or attention toward a specific task or object; functions as a transitive phrasal verb requiring the preposition 'on'.


SIMPLE

I need to concentrate on my homework right now.

CONTEXTUAL

It is hard to concentrate on your work when there is loud music playing in the next room.

COMPLEX

The research team decided to concentrate on the environmental impact of the new factory rather than its economic benefits.

Particles
on
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
concentrate + on + object
Usage

the object is usually a task, a problem, or a specific area of study.

Teaching tip

contrast with 'focus on'; while often interchangeable, 'concentrate' implies a more intense or tiring mental effort.

Pitfall

I must concentrate in my studies.I must concentrate on my studies.the verb 'concentrate' always takes the preposition 'on', never 'in' or 'at'.

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