Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
focused vs. focussed
English answer:
focused - preferred spelling for "edited" English
Added to glossary by
Kim Metzger
Jan 10, 2004 02:26
20 yrs ago
12 viewers *
English term
Singapore
Business & Legal Translator
Native in: English (Variants: US, Singaporean, UK) 
Works in: Chinese to English
focused vs. focussed
Non-PRO
English
Other
Does the word "focussed" exist? If yes, is it British English???
I am looking for the past tense of "focus" in British English.
Thanks!!
I am looking for the past tense of "focus" in British English.
Thanks!!
Responses
| 5 +12 | Yes |
Kim Metzger
|
| 4 +12 | focused or focussed |
NGK
|
| 4 +2 | focused is the preferred spelling in British English |
vixen
|
| 3 +1 | according to Oxford Dictionary of English |
Selcuk Akyuz
|
Responses
+12
4 mins
Kim Metzger
Mexico
Mexico
Native in English
&
English
Mexico
Committed to Quality and Service
Native in: English (Variant: US)
Works in: German to English
Related KudoZ points
:
2249
Selected
Yes
Focussed is one of the British English spellings for the past participle. Focused is the preferred US spelling. My Concise Oxford lists focused first and focussed second, which means that focused is used more often. The decision usually based on the style guide you're following.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks, Kim. Your explanation helps.
Thanks, folks!!"
+12
3 mins
focused or focussed
Either is correct.
Main Entry: 2focus
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): fo·cused also fo·cussed; fo·cus·ing also fo·cus·sing
Main Entry: 2focus
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): fo·cused also fo·cussed; fo·cus·ing also fo·cus·sing
Reference:
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Selcuk Akyuz
7 mins
|
| agree |
Iolanta Vlaykova Paneva
7 mins
|
| agree |
Rajan Chopra
49 mins
|
| agree |
Ildiko Santana
: I once saw in an online dictionary that the two are synonyms.. :)
1 hr
|
| agree |
Tanja Abramovic (X)
3 hrs
|
| agree |
Chris Rowson (X)
4 hrs
|
| agree |
David Moore (X)
: Absoltuely; "focused", I think, is tending to go out of fashion, though
7 hrs
|
| agree |
Gordon Darroch (X)
9 hrs
|
| agree |
joannap
13 hrs
|
| agree |
Nado2002
22 hrs
|
| agree |
Jörgen Slet
1 day 28 mins
|
| agree |
Rajiv Arora
6 days
|
+2
15 hrs
focused is the preferred spelling in British English
The (British) Collins dictionary only lists 'focused' and not 'focussed'.
In Fowler's 'Modern English Usage', the following statement is made:
"the verb makes focused, -cusing (' in England commonly, but irregularly, written focussed, -ing ' --OED)"
In Fowler's 'Modern English Usage', the following statement is made:
"the verb makes focused, -cusing (' in England commonly, but irregularly, written focussed, -ing ' --OED)"
+1
6 mins
Selcuk Akyuz
Türkiye
Türkiye
Türkiye
English to Turkish translator
Native in: Turkish
Works in: English to Turkish, Turkish to English, Turkish
Related KudoZ points
:
36
according to Oxford Dictionary of English
both of them are true
verb (focuses, focusing,
focused or focusses,
focussing, focussed)
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 19 hrs 27 mins (2004-01-10 21:54:06 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Chambers Dictionary 1993 edition (reprinted 1997)
focused or focused
and
Chambers 21st Century Dictionary
focused; focussed
verb (focuses, focusing,
focused or focusses,
focussing, focussed)
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 19 hrs 27 mins (2004-01-10 21:54:06 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Chambers Dictionary 1993 edition (reprinted 1997)
focused or focused
and
Chambers 21st Century Dictionary
focused; focussed
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