should be concentrate on

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "should be concentrate on" is not correct in English.
The correct form is "should concentrate on." You can use it when advising someone to focus their attention or efforts on a specific task or subject. Example: "In order to improve your grades, you should concentrate on your studies."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

It was felt that effort in this study should be concentrate on obtaining the incremental costs of delivery.

BMC Health Services Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

You know all those ads with people of a 'certain age' running through fields, holding hands or otherwise flirting while the voice-over announcer sneaks in the stuff you really should be concentrating on!

Huffington Post

While meditating the only one thing you should be concentrating on is your breath and letting go of everything else.

Huffington Post

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

The Guardian - Sport

The FA should be concentrating on that aspect of the European game above all others".

The Guardian - Sport

Teachers' salaries and benefits are what you should be concentrating on.

The New York Times

As his boss, what jobs do you think he should be concentrating on?

The Guardian - Opinion

"The government should be concentrating on protecting those who can least afford high fuel prices".

The New York Times

Instead, so this view goes, politicians should be concentrating on broadcast media.

The Economist

For independent funders: Long-term funding should be concentrated on local social action, rather than just pursuing innovation.

The Guardian

We want to make it a better situation for us to concentrate on what we should be concentrating on, and that's baseball.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the correct verb form after "should be". Use "should be concentrating" or "should concentrate" for grammatical accuracy. The use of "should be concentrate on" is considered incorrect.

Common error

Avoid using "should be concentrate on". The correct forms are "should concentrate on" (simple advice) or "should be concentrating on" (emphasizing ongoing action). For example, say "You should concentrate on your studies" or "You should be concentrating on your studies", not "You should be concentrate on your studies".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "should be concentrate on" is intended to express advice or recommendation regarding focus. However, it is grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI explains, the correct forms are "should concentrate on" or "should be concentrating on".

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

76%

Science

19%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "should be concentrate on" is grammatically incorrect, as pointed out by Ludwig. The correct forms are "should concentrate on" or "should be concentrating on". While it appears in various contexts, primarily in News & Media and Science, its incorrect grammar makes it unsuitable for formal use. Alternative phrases like "should focus on" or "ought to concentrate on" are recommended for clearer and more accurate communication. Therefore, it is best to avoid this phrase and use its grammatically correct alternatives instead.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

should focus on

Replaces "be concentrate" with the correct verb form "focus", improving grammatical correctness.

ought to concentrate on

Substitutes "should" with "ought to", maintaining the modal verb function while correcting the verb phrase.

should be focusing on

Uses the continuous form of the verb "focus", implying an ongoing action, and improving grammatical correctness.

need to concentrate on

Replaces "should be" with "need to", indicating a necessity to focus on something.

must concentrate on

Substitutes "should be" with "must", conveying a stronger sense of obligation to focus.

have to concentrate on

Similar to "must concentrate on", this indicates a requirement or obligation.

should be giving attention to

Replaces the direct action of concentrating with the act of giving attention, broadening the focus slightly.

should direct attention to

More formal phrasing emphasizing directing attention towards something.

should prioritize

Conveys the idea of focusing on something by making it a priority.

should dedicate time to

Highlights the allocation of time and effort towards something.

FAQs

What's the correct way to use "concentrate" with "should be"?

The correct way is to say "should concentrate on" or "should be concentrating on". "Should concentrate on" provides general advice, while "should be concentrating on" suggests an ongoing focus. The phrase "should be concentrate on" is grammatically incorrect.

What can I say instead of "should be concentrate on"?

Use phrases like "should focus on", "ought to concentrate on", or "should be focusing on" for similar meanings with correct grammar.

Is "should be concentrate on" grammatically correct?

No, "should be concentrate on" is grammatically incorrect. The correct forms are "should concentrate on" or "should be concentrating on".

How does "should concentrate on" differ from "should be concentrating on"?

"Should concentrate on" is a general recommendation, while "should be concentrating on" implies an ongoing or continuous action. For instance, "You should concentrate on your work" advises focus, whereas "You should be concentrating on your work" suggests maintaining focus.