specialising on

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "specialising on" is not correct in standard written English; the correct form is "specialising in." You can use "specialising in" when referring to a specific area of expertise or focus within a profession or field.
Example: "Our company is specialising in renewable energy solutions to combat climate change."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

22 human-written examples

Specialising on locating one or a few host plant species may shorten searching and decision times, thus conserving energy and reducing exposure to time-based mortality factors.

Communicative and Integrative Biology

Robert Feldman, a US lawyer specialising on security issues, said: "We kind of have a picture of a troubled young man with obvious problems.

Independent

Except I shagged Maud Bailey, the only academic specialising on her work, at a Lacanian conference on Feminist Semiotics in Victorian Poetry.

The Guardian - Books

The company is specialising on Sega right now, with further soundtrack releases Shenmue, Shinobi III and Super Hang-On all just as lusciously packaged.

The Guardian - Tech

Robert Emerson, a security analyst specialising on Russia and eastern Europe, said: "The more this goes on, more is the danger from something going wrong, and, in the current febrile atmosphere, the increasingly toxic confrontation, this could have severe unintended consequences".

Independent

Eustace: I am a professional musician, specialising on historical instruments and this, combined with a move to an area of Wessex with a great deal of medieval history, led me to an interest in the culture and history of the period.

The Guardian - Money

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

38 human-written examples

Whatever the transmission route, phylogenetic studies reveal that closely related reproductive parasite strains may specialise on closely related arthropod species; either reflecting symbiont adaptation to similar hosts or the frequency of horizontal transmission opportunities [ 6, 22].

BMC Evolutionary Biology

If the cost is similar for the two species, proboscis length does not diverge, individual moths do not specialise on flowers with one corolla-tube depth, there is no selective fertilizing within plants and there is no evolutionary pressure for divergence in corolla-tube depth.

Plosone

In contrast, some other pathogens specialised on the transcellular mechanism and invade epithelial or specialised M cells at the apical surface followed by intracellular trafficking and exit these cells at the basolateral membrane [ 81, 82].

Cell Communication and Signaling

He specialised on social issues - not always the most favoured topics with Tories - and soon won recognition.

The Guardian

Iain Duncan Smith, who some may remember used to be party leader, has rather specialised on this subject via the Centre for Social Justice.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "specialising in" instead of "specialising on". This ensures grammatical correctness and enhances clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "on" with "specialising"; the correct preposition is "in". For example, instead of "specialising on environmental law", say "specialising in environmental law".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "specialising on" is a verb phrase typically used to denote a specific area of focus or expertise. It functions as part of a larger sentence structure to describe what someone or something is concentrating their efforts on. However, according to Ludwig, the correct preposition to use is 'in' not 'on'.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "specialising on" appears in various sources, it's grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "specialising in". Ludwig AI flags this issue, advising against its use in formal writing. The phrase aims to communicate expertise or a focused area of study, but using the correct preposition enhances clarity and credibility. Semantically related alternatives include "focusing on" and "concentrating on". Always opt for "specialising in" to ensure grammatical accuracy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

specialising in

Corrects the preposition to the grammatically standard 'in'.

focusing on

Indicates a concentration of effort or attention.

concentrating on

Suggests directing all efforts toward a specific subject.

devoting oneself to

Implies a strong commitment and dedication.

expert in

Indicates recognized expertise in a particular field.

majoring in

Typically used in an academic context.

excelling in

Suggests a high level of skill or achievement.

skilled in

Indicates proficiency and competence.

versed in

Suggests knowledge and familiarity.

adept at

Denotes skill and dexterity.

FAQs

What's the correct way to say focusing on a specific area?

The correct phrase is "specialising in", not "specialising on". For example, say "I am "specialising in" data science".

What can I say instead of "specialising on"?

You can use alternatives like "focusing on", "concentrating on", or simply "expert in" depending on the context.

Is it "specialising in" or "specialising at"?

The correct preposition is "in". "Specialising in" indicates the area of expertise, whereas "at" is not typically used with "specialising".

How do I use "specialising in" in a sentence?

You can use ""specialising in"" to describe your area of expertise or the focus of a business. For example, "She is specialising in marine biology" or "Our company is specialising in renewable energy".