attention
A1Neutral (used across all registers from formal to informal)
Definition
Meaning
The act or state of focusing one's mind on something; notice taken.
Consideration, care, or special treatment; a military posture of readiness; a courteous act of kindness or interest.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word can refer to both the cognitive process of focusing and the behavioral manifestation of that focus (e.g., standing at attention). It often implies a selective process, ignoring other stimuli.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. The military command 'Attention!' is identical. In formal correspondence, 'For the attention of (FAO)' is common in both, but 'Attn:' as an abbreviation is more frequent in American English.
Connotations
Identical core connotations. In medical/psychological contexts (e.g., Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - ADHD), usage is identical.
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
attention to + noun (Pay attention to the teacher)attention on + noun (Focus your attention on the task)attention from + noun (The scandal diverted attention from the policy)attention + that-clause (It has come to my attention that...)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “centre of attention”
- “attention to detail”
- “stand to/at attention”
- “snap to attention”
- “catch someone's attention”
- “bring something to someone's attention”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in emails ('For the attention of the manager'), meetings ('Let's turn our attention to Q3 figures'), and marketing ('Grab the customer's attention').
Academic
Used in psychology (selective attention), education (student attention spans), and general discourse ('The study pays particular attention to...').
Everyday
Common in instructions ('Pay attention!'), requests ('Can I have your attention, please?'), and observations ('That dress will attract a lot of attention').
Technical
In computing (attention mechanism in AI), medicine (requiring urgent medical attention), and the military (the position of attention).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The officer will attention the troops.
- (Note: 'to attention' as a verb is archaic/rare; 'to pay attention' is standard)
American English
- (Rare/archaic; standard phrasing is 'to pay attention' or 'to stand at attention')
adverb
British English
- (No standard adverbial form. 'Attentively' is the adverb from the related adjective 'attentive'.)
American English
- (No standard adverbial form. 'Attentively' is the adverb from the related adjective 'attentive'.)
adjective
British English
- She is a very attention-seeking individual.
- The attention-grabbing headline was in all the papers.
American English
- That was an attention-getting stunt.
- He's known for his attention-grabbing style.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Please pay attention to the teacher.
- The baby needs attention.
- Look at me! Give me your attention.
- The bright sign attracted everyone's attention.
- You should pay more attention to your spelling.
- The matter requires your immediate attention.
- The speaker held the audience's attention for over an hour.
- Recent events have diverted public attention away from the economic crisis.
- His meticulous attention to detail made him an excellent editor.
- The artist's work explores the commodification of attention in the digital age.
- The committee will give due attention to all submissions before reaching a verdict.
- Her research pays particular attention to the socio-political context of the period.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a TENT: You need to pay ATTENTion when you're putting up a TENT, or it might fall down.
Conceptual Metaphor
ATTENTION IS A RESOURCE (e.g., 'pay attention', 'spend attention', 'invest your attention', 'attention is scarce').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating 'внимание' as 'attention' in the phrase 'обратить внимание' when it means 'to point out' or 'to mention'. Use 'to point out', 'to note', or 'to draw attention to' instead.
- In Russian, 'уделить внимание' is a direct metaphor. In English, the more common collocation is 'to pay attention' or 'to give attention'.
- The Russian interjection 'Внимание!' maps directly to 'Attention!' in English, but is less common in everyday speech outside of formal announcements or warnings.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'attention' as a countable noun incorrectly (e.g., 'He gave me an attention' - incorrect; 'He gave me attention' - correct).
- Confusing 'attention' with 'intention'.
- Incorrect preposition: 'Pay attention on' (incorrect) vs. 'Pay attention to' (correct).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is NOT a standard collocation with 'attention'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily uncountable. You do not say 'an attention' or 'attentions' in the core meaning of mental focus. However, in the formal/archaic sense of 'an act of courtesy or kindness', it can be countable (e.g., 'He showed her many little attentions').
'Attention' is the broader term for directing your mind to something. 'Concentration' is a deeper, more sustained, and exclusive form of attention, often on a single task, blocking out distractions.
In modern standard English, 'attention' is not used as a verb. The related verb is 'to attend (to)'. The command 'Attention!' is an interjection derived from the noun.
It is a military posture of readiness, standing straight and still with arms at the sides. It is used as a sign of respect or during formal ceremonies.