Wednesday, March 11, 2015

focus around/focus on: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Wednesday, March 11, 2015

focus around/focus on
The popular expression “focus around” makes little sense. An example: “Next quarter’s advertising will focus around our line of computer games.” It is presumably meant to convey something like “concentrate on a number of different items in a single category.” But “focus on” better conveys the idea of a sharp focus. “Focus around” suggests a jittery, shifting view rather than determined concentration.


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