shift their focus

USAGE SUMMARY

"shift their focus" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to express that a person or group should change their attention from one thing to another. For example, "The company decided to shift their focus to online marketing instead of traditional advertising."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Investors will shift their focus to earnings reports next week.

The New York Times

They began to shift their focus to S.U.V.'s, built primarily from truck underpinnings.

The New York Times

They must shift their focus from work-force reduction to work-force retention.

The New York Times

The viewer is forced to stay alert and constantly shift their focus of attention from one screen to another.

The Guardian - Arts

Subsidies tend to reduce incentives for producers to boost efficiency and shift their focus from crops to farming subsidies.

The Guardian

However, a new government policy could see the decades-long female-centred family planning initiatives shift their focus to men.

The Guardian

They were pop-punk pop stars, and they cannily found ways to shift their focus without unduly complexifying their music.

The New Yorker

But many people close to death are cheated of the chance to shift their focus to the near future.

The Economist

Children draw on a limited number of experiences, and know many emotions and complexities through imagination; adults most often shift their focus to reality.

The Guardian - Opinion

Now they can shift their focus back towards the primary aim of promotion from the Championship with confidence after a magnificent effort.

The Guardian - Sport

To truly ensure future resilience, food, beverage and tobacco companies must shift their focus from in-house emissions to those from agricultural production.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "shift their focus", ensure it's clear what the original and new areas of focus are to avoid ambiguity. For example: "The team shifted their focus from customer acquisition to customer retention."

Common error

Ensure that the pronoun "their" has a clear and easily identifiable antecedent. If the subject is unclear, revise the sentence to name the specific group or individuals shifting focus. For example, instead of 'They need to shift their focus', write 'The marketing team needs to shift its focus'.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "shift their focus" functions as a verb phrase indicating an intentional change in attention, emphasis, or priority. Ludwig examples demonstrate its use across various contexts to describe altering the direction of effort.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

51%

Science

29%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

2%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "shift their focus" is a commonly used phrase that correctly conveys a change in attention or priorities. As noted by Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically sound and applicable across diverse contexts. When using "shift their focus", ensure clarity in the subject and the new object of their attention. The phrase is considered neutral in register and appears most frequently in news and media, scientific and formal business contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

redirect their attention

Focus is replaced with attention, emphasizing the act of redirecting rather than the area of concentration.

turn their attention to

This phrase explicitly indicates a change in where attention is directed.

change their perspective

Perspective is used instead of focus, highlighting a change in viewpoint or understanding.

refocus their efforts

Efforts replaces focus, emphasizing a change in the application of energy and resources.

reorient their priorities

Priorities is used instead of focus, emphasizing a change in what is deemed most important.

alter their course

Altering a course implies changing direction, similar to changing focus but with a stronger sense of movement.

adjust their sights

Sights replaces focus, creating a visual metaphor for aiming at something different.

revise their strategy

Strategy is used in place of focus, highlighting a change in planning and approach.

modify their approach

This option is similar to revising a strategy, but at a more practical level.

rethink their objectives

Objectives replaces focus, which implies a change in the goals someone is pursuing.

FAQs

How can I use "shift their focus" in a sentence?

You can use "shift their focus" to indicate a change in attention or priorities. For instance, "Due to the market changes, the company needed to "shift their focus" to product innovation."

What are some alternatives to "shift their focus"?

Alternatives include "redirect their attention", "reorient their priorities", or "change their perspective", depending on the specific context.

Is it better to say "shift their focus" or "change their focus"?

Both "shift their focus" and "change their focus" are acceptable. "Shift" implies a more nuanced adjustment, while "change" suggests a more complete alteration, but they are often interchangeable.

What's the difference between "shift their focus" and "adjust their strategy"?

"Shift their focus" implies a change in attention or emphasis, while "adjust their strategy" suggests a modification of plans or methods to achieve a particular goal. Focus is narrower, strategy is broader.