ENGLISH
REFERENCE

focus on sb/sth

phr. v..
A2 Elementary Oxford

phr. v.. To give all your attention to one particular thing or person. You use it when you want to talk about concentrating.

phr. v.. To direct one's attention or effort towards a specific object, person, or activity. It is a transitive prepositional verb where 'on' introduces the object of attention.


SIMPLE

I need to focus on my homework now.

CONTEXTUAL

The team decided to focus on improving customer service after receiving several complaints.

COMPLEX

The documentary chose to focus on the lesser-known aspects of the artist's life, revealing a complex personality previously obscured by his more famous works.

Particles
on
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
focus + on + object
Usage

Often followed by a noun or a gerund (an '-ing' verb) that names the activity.

Teaching tip

Contrast with 'concentrate on', which is a close synonym but can feel slightly more intense or formal.

Pitfall

I need to focus in my work.I need to focus on my work.The verb 'focus' always pairs with the preposition 'on' to indicate the target of attention.

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