pay attention — focus
collocationB1IELTS 5+neutralcore
to concentrate on something or listen carefully to it, so you notice important details.
Say it like a native
Textbook Kindly direct your concentration towards the instructions.
Native Pay attention to the instructions.
'Pay attention' is the standard phrase; 'direct your concentration towards' is unnatural.
Pattern: pay attention (to + noun/pronoun)
In use
- You need to pay attention during the lecture if you want to understand the topic.study
- In my opinion, students should pay attention in class because it helps them remember information and get better grades.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ You should pay attention the teacher.
✓ You should pay attention to the teacher.
'Pay attention TO' someone/something — don't drop 'to'.
Common collocations
pay attention to + focus— to detail, to the road, in class, closely
Don't confuse it
'Pay attention' is about focusing your mind, not about being polite or showing respect.