direct our attention vs address our attention

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in slightly different contexts. 'Direct our attention' is more commonly used and implies a specific, intentional action of guiding someone's focus. 'Address our attention' is less common and may sound a bit formal or awkward in comparison.

Last updated: March 23, 2024 • 1170 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"direct our attention"

This phrase is used to indicate the act of intentionally guiding someone's focus or awareness towards a particular subject or object.

Examples:

The teacher asked the students to direct their attention to the whiteboard.
The speaker directed our attention to the main points of the presentation.

Show examples from the web [+]

We must also direct our attention to those countries which are very weak in terms of economic development and have poorly developed economies.
Fifthly, the time has come to direct our attention, not just to anti-personnel mines but to all mines, as well as to other types of weapons that have the capacity to go on killing after a conflict has finished, an example being cluster bombs.
We must direct our attention back to the war at hand.
So we need to direct our attention in the right sort of way.
Instead he has chosen to direct our attention to the challenges of a major pressing issue, that of migration.
We certainly have to address and direct our attention to the major challenge involved in stabilising and reforming the financial system.
I regard the EU as a union of values and am in favour of several of the wordings in the report which direct our attention to the vulnerable position of children around the world.
There is one final matter: I think that in future budgetary programmes after 2013 we should very strongly direct our attention to the Carpathian region - one of the poorest and most highly populated regions in the European Union.
We direct our attention not only to our own economies, adopting appropriate solutions, but we also want developing countries to use non-polluting renewable types of energy and non-polluting technology.
It is also inevitable that we would direct our attention not just to this programme of work and the lessons to be learned from it, but also to the way in which that programme of work now affects efforts to improve Europe's competitiveness.
What role the European Union will then actually play, in regard to underpinning this process, is another aspect to which we will direct our attention when we continue the Barcelona process in Stuttgart.

Alternatives:

focus our attention
draw our attention
guide our attention
bring our attention to
point our attention towards

This phrase is correct but less commonly used in English.

"address our attention"

This phrase can be used to mean directing or focusing attention on a particular subject, but it may sound more formal or less natural compared to 'direct our attention.'

Examples:

The speaker addressed our attention to the key issues at hand.
The article effectively addressed the reader's attention to the importance of the topic.

Show examples from the web [+]

We certainly have to address and direct our attention to the major challenge involved in stabilising and reforming the financial system.
The reports as provided for in Article 9 shall address particular attention to this requirement.
Today I also appeal for international attention to address efforts to free the British engineer, Anthony S., and five other European hostages, who worked at a local hospital in Yemen and who remain kidnapped since last June.
We address a series of new issues, such as aviation, and we also turn our attention to new technologies, such as carbon capture, which offer opportunities for taking financially efficient measures to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases.
We should address the demand side: this is where we should focus our attention.
That trumpet noise, getting our attention.
His wife and children deserve our attention.
Madam President, the Moluccas require our attention once again.
Furthermore, many international issues will demand our attention.
The Commission also draws our attention to recipient countries.
Many thanks for bringing this to our attention.
It is if you're using the census to address our population problem.
Always address our members as Mr, Mrs, or Miss.
Against that background it gives me great pleasure now to invite President Paksas to address our Parliament.
In conclusion, I would like to address our two rapporteurs more directly.
I do hope you'll want to address our club.
Now I would like to address our foreign guests in English.
You will address our Parliament and our citizens in a few minutes.
Something potentially far more grave has come to our attention.
If we could turn our attention back to the children who are missing today...

Alternatives:

direct our attention
focus our attention
draw our attention
guide our attention
bring our attention to

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direct our attention vs address our attention