Meaning & use
pay close attention
Last updated
Meaning
phraseidiom
To watch or listen to something very carefully, giving it your full focus.
Grammar: Often followed by 'to' and the thing you are focusing on: pay close attention to the details.
Patterns
- pay close attention to someone/something
- pay close attention to what someone says
Please pay close attention to the safety instructions before the flight.
She paid close attention to the teacher's explanation and took notes.
If you pay close attention, you will notice a small change in his voice.
Common combinations
- pay close attention to detail
- Good editors pay close attention to detail.
- pay close attention to what someone says
- He paid close attention to what his doctor said.
- pay close attention to the instructions
- You must pay close attention to the instructions to assemble the shelf correctly.
- pay close attention to someone
- The child paid close attention to her grandmother as she baked.
Synonyms and how they differ
- listen carefully
- Focuses only on hearing, while 'pay close attention' can also mean watching or noticing.
- concentrate
- Suggests directing your mental effort, often for a longer period; 'pay close attention' is more about actively watching or listening.
Opposites
Commonly confused: pay close attention or pay attention?
pay close attention vs pay attention
'Pay attention' means to watch or listen, but without the emphasis on being very careful or focused that 'close' adds.
Practice
Before you sign the contract, you should pay close attention ___ the small print.
Choose one answer.
The correct preposition after 'pay close attention' is 'to'. 'Pay close attention at' is not used; 'for' would suggest looking for something, and 'on' is not the right preposition here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “pay close attention”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.