direct attention to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'direct attention to' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use this phrase when you want to emphasize something or to indicate that someone should focus their attention on a particular point. For example, "Let me direct your attention to our special sale items this week."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

As a control for attentional effects, we trained one monkey to direct attention to one of the surfaces of the plaids, while ignoring the other surface.

Cerebral Cortex

Direct attention to foreclosures.

The Guardian - Business

How do I direct attention to something.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

As one character says: "Almost anything that you pay close, direct attention to becomes interesting".

The Guardian - Books

The federal constitution gives relatively little direct attention to the structure of public finance.

Columbia University

WE would like to direct attention to results obtained from a keyboard training experiment.

Nature

Humans use cognitive information to direct attention to relevant objects (targets) in a visual scene.

Nature

Many attempts at categorization direct attention to the objective of the movement.

Encyclopedia Britannica

This finding may direct attention to the beneficial effects of using SHS in chemotherapeutic approaches.

European Journal of Pharmacology

Our results direct attention to investigate the interactions of imatinib with artificial/biological membranes.

European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences

(Matthew 10 8) In addition, we direct attention to God's Kingdom as the true hope for peace on earth.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "direct attention to" when you want to guide your audience to consider a specific aspect of a topic, especially when introducing new or overlooked information.

Common error

Avoid using "direct attention to" excessively in passive constructions. Instead of "Attention should be directed to…", try "Let's direct our attention to…" for a more active and engaging tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "direct attention to" functions as a transitive verb phrase, indicating an action taken to guide or channel focus. According to Ludwig, it's a grammatically sound way to steer focus towards something specific.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

30%

News & Media

30%

Academia

25%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "direct attention to" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression to guide focus toward a specific subject. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and highlights its use across diverse contexts such as science, news media, and academia. While alternatives like "call attention to" or "highlight" exist, "direct attention to" maintains a formal tone suitable for professional communication. Just remember to employ it actively to maintain an engaging writing style.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

call attention to

Changes the verb from "direct" to "call", altering the tone slightly but maintaining the core meaning of highlighting something.

draw attention to

Substitutes "direct" with "draw", implying a more magnetic or persuasive way of getting someone to notice something.

focus on

Simplifies the phrase to its core meaning, omitting the action of guiding attention.

highlight

Replaces the phrase with a single verb that means to emphasize or make something more noticeable.

emphasize

Similar to "highlight", but implies a stronger degree of importance or stress.

point out

Indicates bringing something to someone's notice, often something that might have been missed.

bring to the forefront

Suggests moving something into a position of prominence or importance.

spotlight

Implies putting something under intense focus or attention, like a stage light.

underscore

Means to emphasize or stress something, often by literally drawing a line under it.

concentrate on

Shifts the focus to the act of concentrating, implying sustained attention.

FAQs

How can I use "direct attention to" in a sentence?

You can use "direct attention to" to introduce a specific topic or detail you want the audience to focus on. For example, "Let me direct your attention to the key findings in this report".

What are some alternatives to saying "direct attention to"?

You can use alternatives like "call attention to", "focus on", or "highlight" depending on the context.

Is it better to use "direct attention to" or simply "focus on"?

"Direct attention to" is more formal and implies a deliberate act of guiding focus. "Focus on" is more general and can be used in a wider range of contexts.

What's the difference between "direct attention to" and "pay attention to"?

"Direct attention to" implies guiding someone else's focus, while "pay attention to" simply means to be observant or heedful. You "direct attention to" something for someone else, but you "pay attention to" something yourself.