retained attention

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "retained attention" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts discussing focus, concentration, or the ability to maintain attention on a task or subject over time. Example: "The study measured the participants' retained attention during the lecture to assess the effectiveness of the teaching methods."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

"She cannot retain attention.

The New York Times - Magazine

I like big, fat books for the beach, enthralling enough to retain attention even against the warring attractions of sunlight on water and drowsy, sand-dry heat.

The Guardian - Books

One of Strauss's most child-friendly works, it still couldn't retain attention at the end of a long concert with no break.

The New York Times - Arts

The results provide evidence that such a display design can attract and retain attention in such a way that the acquisition of knowledge (i.e. the comprehension of the presented information) is effectively facilitated.

Computers & Education

The adult literature indicates that visual representations are beneficial for conveying probability to those with low literacy and numeracy skills [ 29, 41] and for retaining attention [ 41].

BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making

This finding is supported by evidence that graphical formats are optimal for conveying probability information to people with low literacy or numerical skills [ 29, 30] and for retaining attention [ 30].

BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making

This approach was seen as having the added advantage of protecting against vertical ART programme dominance and retaining attention on the management of under-diagnosed and under-treated priority diseases, including those that are HIV-related, such as tuberculosis, and other illnesses, such as asthma [ 5, 17].

BMC Health Services Research

Muy caliente!" Hot as he was, del Potro retained her attention for only a day or two.

The New York Times

This may suggest that the local community from the directly affected region (DAR) retained higher attention on the bombing related events.

EPJ Data Science

The Hadamard inequality has always retained the attention of mathematicians and a lot of results have been produced about it, for example see [6 12] and the references cited therein.

Journal of Inequalities and Applications

Plants belonging to Myrtaceae family like Pimenta racemosa have retained the attention of researchers, not only because of their high diversity and their distribution around the world, but also for their variable use in popular medicines to treat diseases [13].

Natural Products and Bioprospecting

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming to emphasize the duration of attention, consider using "retained attention" to highlight the sustained focus over a period.

Common error

Avoid using "retained attention" when you simply mean to say that someone initially paid attention. This phrase specifically refers to sustained or maintained attention over time.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "retained attention" is that of a verb acting on a noun. The verb "retained" modifies and describes the state of the noun "attention", indicating that the attention has been kept or maintained. According to Ludwig AI, it's considered grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "retained attention" is a grammatically sound phrase used to emphasize the act of maintaining focus or interest over time. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is correct, however, it's relatively infrequent, suggesting that alternative phrasings might be more common. When aiming to highlight the sustained aspect of focus, this phrase can be effective. Be mindful to not use it if you mean to say that someone initially paid attention. Consider alternatives like "sustained focus" or "maintained engagement" to add nuance to your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

retained focus

A simpler variation, directly emphasizing maintaining focus.

kept their attention

Focuses on the active act of keeping attention.

maintained focus

Focuses on the sustained effort to concentrate, rather than the act of holding someone's attention.

sustained concentration

Emphasizes the continuous and prolonged mental effort.

held their interest

Highlights the act of keeping someone engaged and captivated.

captured attention

Implies initially grabbing focus and then maintaining it.

preserved focus

Indicates protecting or guarding existing concentration from disruption.

kept engaged

Focuses on the active participation and involvement of the individual.

maintained audience engagement

Specifically addresses the sustained interest of an audience.

sustained interest

Highlights the prolonged duration of interest.

FAQs

How can I effectively use "retained attention" in a sentence?

Use "retained attention" to emphasize that focus or interest was maintained over a duration, for instance, "The speaker's engaging style ensured the audience "retained attention" throughout the presentation".

What phrases can I use instead of "retained attention"?

Consider alternatives like "sustained focus", "held interest", or "maintained engagement" depending on the context.

Is there a difference between "retained attention" and "gained attention"?

"Gained attention" refers to the initial act of capturing someone's focus, while "retained attention" describes the ability to maintain that focus over a period. They are not interchangeable.

When is it most appropriate to use the phrase "retained attention"?

The phrase "retained attention" is most appropriate when you want to emphasize the continuation or maintenance of focus or interest, especially in situations where distractions or competing stimuli are present.