be concentrating

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "be concentrating" is not correct in standard written English.
It is typically used in contexts where someone is describing an ongoing action of focusing on something, but it should be in the form "is concentrating" or "will be concentrating" for proper grammatical structure. Example: "She is concentrating on her studies to prepare for the exam."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

I will be concentrating my job".

Independent

"He needs to be concentrating on his schoolwork".

The New York Times

It does not appear to be concentrating minds.

The Economist

"We should be concentrating much more on it," he said.

Independent

"That's what I'm going to be concentrating on".

The New York Times

"We will be concentrating on strategic growth investments".

The Guardian - Lifestyle

The group will be concentrating on its two branded chains.

The Guardian - Business

Shouldn't we be concentrating on the real world?

The Guardian

That's the area Kevin should be concentrating on".

The Guardian - Sport

Shouldn't we be concentrating on the accompanying article?

The New Yorker

Djokovic, meanwhile, will be concentrating on recovering his fitness.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When providing guidance, favor "is concentrating" or "will be concentrating" over the bare infinitive form "be concentrating".

Common error

Avoid using the bare infinitive "be" with "concentrating" without the necessary auxiliary verbs (am, is, are, was, were, will be). This often results in ungrammatical sentences. Ensure that the sentence includes the appropriate form of "to be" to match the subject and tense.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "be concentrating" functions as part of a continuous verb construction, typically requiring an auxiliary verb to be grammatically correct. As Ludwig AI indicates, it needs support from verbs like "is", "will be", etc.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

77%

Science

12%

Wiki

11%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "be concentrating" frequently appears in a variety of contexts, especially in news and media. However, it's important to note that, as Ludwig AI explains, it is typically grammatically incorrect on its own. The phrase requires an auxiliary verb, such as "is", "will be", or "should be", to form a correct continuous tense. To avoid grammatical errors, favor using "is concentrating" or "will be concentrating". While the phrase is very common, writers should exercise caution and prioritize grammatical accuracy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

is concentrating

Changes the phrase to the present continuous tense, indicating an action happening now.

will be concentrating

Shifts the phrase to the future continuous tense, describing an action that will happen in the future.

focus

Replaces the continuous form with a simpler verb expressing a similar meaning of directing attention.

concentrate

Uses the base form of the verb, implying a general instruction or capability.

is focusing

Changes the phrase to use the verb "focus" in the present continuous tense, indicating current focus.

devote attention to

Replaces "concentrating" with a more formal phrase emphasizing the allocation of attention.

direct focus toward

Emphasizes the action of aiming attention in a specific direction.

give attention to

A more general way of saying to pay attention to something

dedicate oneself to

Implies a strong commitment and focus of effort towards something.

apply oneself to

Highlights the effort and application of skills towards a specific task.

FAQs

How should I correctly use the term "concentrating" in a sentence?

Use the present continuous form "is concentrating" or the future continuous form "will be concentrating" depending on the context. For example, instead of "I be concentrating", say "I am concentrating" or "I will be concentrating".

What are some alternatives to the phrase "be concentrating"?

Depending on the intended meaning and tense, you can use alternatives like "is concentrating", "will be concentrating", or simply "focus".

Is it grammatically correct to say "be concentrating"?

No, "be concentrating" is generally not grammatically correct. It requires an auxiliary verb such as "am", "is", "are", "was", "were", or "will be" to form a proper continuous tense.

What's the difference between "is concentrating" and "be concentrating"?

"Is concentrating" is the correct present continuous form, indicating an action happening now. "Be concentrating" is an ungrammatical construction unless it's part of a modal verb phrase (e.g., "should be concentrating") or an infinitive phrase (e.g., "to be concentrating").