Focus past tense

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Meaning of focus

to concentrate attention or effort on something.

Infinitive

Word: focus: /ˈfoʊkəs/
Examples:
  • 1. She always focuses on her homework before playing video games.
  • 2. He focuses his efforts on improving the community.
  • 3. The teacher focuses on making lessons engaging for all students.

Past Simple

Word: focused /ˈfoʊkəst/
Examples:
  • 1. I focused hard on my studies last night and finished all my assignments.
  • 2. She focused her camera on the stunning sunset, capturing a breathtaking photo.
  • 3. They focused on their breathing exercises during the meditation session yesterday.

Past Participle

Word: focused /ˈfoʊkəst/
Examples:
  • 1. The project has been focused on by the entire team for months.
  • 2. The details were closely focused on by the editor.
  • 3. The spotlight has been focused on the emerging artist for his unique talent.

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Bare infinitive

  1. To describe habitual actions or routines involving concentrating attention or effort on something.
    Example. She focuses on her studies every evening.
    Example. Good concentration helps you focus better.
    Example. Focus on your breathing to calm your mind.
  2. To state facts or general truths about the act or importance of focusing.
    Example. She focuses on her studies every evening.
    Example. Good concentration helps you focus better.
    Example. Focus on your breathing to calm your mind.
  3. To give instructions or advice related to concentrating effort or attention.
    Example. She focuses on her studies every evening.
    Example. Good concentration helps you focus better.
    Example. Focus on your breathing to calm your mind.

Past Simple

  1. To talk about a specific instance in the past when someone concentrated their attention or effort on something.
    Example. He focused on completing the project last night.
    Example. We focused on improving customer satisfaction over the past quarter.
    Example. She used to focus on multiple tasks at once, but now she prefers single-tasking.
  2. To describe a series of actions in the past that involved focusing attention or effort.
    Example. He focused on completing the project last night.
    Example. We focused on improving customer satisfaction over the past quarter.
    Example. She used to focus on multiple tasks at once, but now she prefers single-tasking.
  3. To express a past habit or state of concentrating effort or attention that is no longer current.
    Example. He focused on completing the project last night.
    Example. We focused on improving customer satisfaction over the past quarter.
    Example. She used to focus on multiple tasks at once, but now she prefers single-tasking.

Past Participle

  1. Perfect tenses - To talk about actions of concentrating attention or effort that have happened, with relevance to the present moment or completed at an unspecified time in the past.
    Example. Attention has been focused on renewable energy sources in recent years.
  2. Example (Present Perfect). They have focused on enhancing their skills during the lockdown.
    Example. Attention has been focused on renewable energy sources in recent years.
  3. Example (Past Perfect). By the time the seminar started, the team had already focused on outlining the key objectives.
    Example. Attention has been focused on renewable energy sources in recent years.
  4. Passive voice - To describe situations where the focus is on the area or subject that received concentration, rather than who was concentrating.
    Example. Attention has been focused on renewable energy sources in recent years.

Common mistakes

— 01

Confusing Patterns

A common mistake is treating 'focus' as a regular verb and incorrectly forming its past simple and past participle by just adding -ed. The correct past simple form is 'focused,' and the past participle form is also 'focused,' but it's common to see errors like 'focussed' or 'focus' used incorrectly due to misunderstanding whether the verb follows a regular or irregular conjugation pattern. In British English, however, 'focussed' is also considered correct, which can add to the confusion for learners not familiar with differences between American and British English usage.

— 02

Incorrect Doubling

In the case of 'focus,' the mistake often involves the incorrect application of the rule for doubling the final consonant in the past simple and past participle forms. The general rule is that if a one-syllable verb ends in consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC), the final consonant is doubled when adding -ed (e.g., 'stop' becomes 'stopped'). However, because 'focus' is a two-syllable word with the stress on the first syllable, and the ending is not a simple CVC since it ends in 'us,' it does not always require the consonant to be doubled. This can lead to incorrect forms like 'focussed' when learners over-apply the rule. Although, as mentioned, 'focussed' is acceptable in British English, showing that exceptions and variations in English usage can complicate learning these forms.

— 03

Misuse of Past Simple

Another common mistake is using the past simple form of a verb where the past participle form is needed, and vice versa, especially in perfect tenses and passive voice constructions. For 'focus,' both the past simple and past participle forms are 'focused' (or 'focussed' in British English), which can actually simplify matters since the form doesn't change. However, learners might mistakenly use 'focus' (the base form) instead of 'focused' in constructions that require the past participle, such as 'I have focus on my work' instead of the correct 'I have focused on my work.' This mistake stems from not recognizing that 'focused' serves both as the past simple and the past participle form of 'focus.'

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Frequently asked questions

What is the past simple form of 'focus'?

The past simple form of 'focus' is 'focused' in American English. However, in British English, you might also see 'focussed' as an acceptable variation. Both spellings are correct, but 'focused' is more universally accepted and commonly used in written and spoken English.

What is the past participle form of 'focus'?

The past participle form of 'focus' follows the same pattern as its past simple form. In American English, it is 'focused,' and in British English, 'focussed' can also be used. This form is employed in perfect tenses and passive voice, e.g., 'I have focused on my studies' or 'The camera was focused on the speaker.'

How do I use 'focused' in a sentence correctly?

Using 'focused' in a sentence depends on the tense you are working with. For the past simple, you might say, 'Yesterday, I focused on completing my project.' For perfect tenses, such as present perfect, you could say, 'I have always focused on my goals.' The key is to ensure that the form of 'focus' matches the tense you are intending to use.

Can 'focused' and 'focussed' be used interchangeably in academic writing?

In academic writing, consistency is key. If you're writing for an American audience or publication, it's best to stick with 'focused' for both the past simple and past participle forms. If you're writing for a British audience, you may use 'focussed,' but it's essential to be consistent throughout your document. Always check the style guide relevant to your work, as some institutions or publications may have a preferred spelling.