Imagine you are working on a task, and it seems like you are losing focus. You decide to go to YouTube or Google to look for tips on how to stay focused/focussed.
As you are scrolling through the results, something catches your eye. One video says, ‘How to stay focused,’ another article says ‘How to stay focussed’ and you are wondering how that is possible.
You then ask yourself, ‘Did I misspell it?’
You are not the only one who has ever had such a moment. The thing is that both focused and focussed are right, and the exact use of them is completely dependent on the place you are and the audience you are talking to.
Let’s dive in.
Key Takeaways
- Focused is the American spelling
- Focussed is the British spelling
- Both spellings are correct, but it is widely accepted to use focused, especially if you are not sure
- You should know that consistency matters more than the spelling you choose
What’s the Difference Between Focussed vs Focused
It is not uncommon to see that the English language is diverse, especially when it comes to spellings. This is apparent with colour and color, chilli and chili, or cheque and check.
Both the focused and focussed are formed by the verb focus, which, in its turn, signifies to pay attention to a certain object or subject. However, their usage can vary based on preference in different geographies.
The difference between focused vs focussed is all reduced to a rule in the English Language concerning the doubling of consonants. The term for this rule is called the ‘doubling-up rule.’
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The doubling-up rule explains that in cases where you add such suffixes as -ed or -ing to the verb, which ends with a single vowel and a single consonant, you must repeat the last consonant.
For Focus, ‘u’ is the single vowel and ‘s’ is the single consonant. Most times, this rule applies to a two-syllable word when the final syllable is stressed, but words like focus are an exception since the stress falls on the first syllable.
With the stress being on the first word, you technically do not need to double the ‘s’; that’s why we have ‘focused,’ but British English has applied the rule more liberally, hence, ‘focussed’
The trend to simplify English spelling, especially in the United States of America, has led to the dropping of the extra ‘s’, and this spelling has been more popular for decades.
American English continued to use ‘focused’ as the preferred spelling, while British, Australian, and Canadian English use ‘focussed.’
So here’s the result of the doubling rule and the American and British variation; Two valid spellings, occasional confusion, and articles like this. But, upon reflection, there is no difference in meaning.
The two words are still the past tense and past participle of focus, and they are connotations of focus.
Quick Breakdown
This is the easiest way to understand focused vs focussed australia:
- Focused = American English
- Focussed = British English
Americans do not stick to the doubling up rule, and they usually keep just one ‘s’ when adding -ed or -ing. The British double the consonant in similar situations.
It is not that one spelling is correct and the other one is incorrect; it is just really a matter of geography and style guides.
When to Use
While both spellings are correct, you should still know where and when to use them:
Focussed
The more popular variant of British English is “focussed”. It is spelt and pronounced like focused /ˈfoʊ.kəst/ (American) and /ˈfəʊ.kəst/ (British).
You should use it if:
- You are writing in British English or for a British audience
- You are writing for a Canadian or Australian audience
- You are submitting your work to a UK publication or university
- You are asked to follow a style guide that leans toward Commonwealth English
While Canada accepts both British and American spelling, it is better to use focussed to avoid any focussed vs focused Canada debate.
However, it is also common to find the focused spelling, especially in business and digital content.
Focused
When you are writing for an American audience, focused is the standard spelling. So, you should use it if you are:
- Writing for an American company or audience
- Unsure where your readers are from
- Addressing an international audience
- Using AP, Chicago, or APA format
- Posting on a platform or US based site
- The truth is that focused is a widely accepted spelling even in countries that use the focussed spelling. This is mainly because most digital publishing, global brands, and the dominance of American content online have all pushed “focused” into the mainstream.
While most dictionaries still recognise the spelling “focussed,” it is very unlikely that you would find it in modern writing. So, to avoid errors most of the time, it is just better to use “focused.”
The entire discussion of doubling consonants and geography can sometimes be a little confusing, particularly when you are not an English speaker. You may be confused trying to figure out if it is focused or focussed.
When this happens, you can try out the Undetectable AI’s AI Chat to help you explain the spelling difference or even figure out when, where, and which spelling to use.
One thing you can trust our AI Chat to do is explain the difference in plain conversational language for readers unfamiliar with British vs American English.
Focussed vs Focused in Real Sentences
The best way to learn something unfamiliar is to see it in action. The following are examples of focussed vs focused uk in real sentences:
| Focused | Focussed |
| The team’s focused approach helped them deliver the best presentation | The team’s focussed approach helped them deliver the best presentation |
| He blocked all distractions and completely focused on the exam | He blocked all distractions and completely focused on the exam |
| I am very focused on graduating | I am very focussed on graduating |
| Sam focused his energy on one thing | Sam focussed his energy on one thing |
| He seems focused | He seems focussed |
| My brother used to be so focused on his goals | My brother used to be so focussed on his goals |
| Stay focused | Stay focussed |
| My boss is focused on getting that contract | My boss is focussed on getting that contract |
Even with the spelling difference, you can see how focused and focussed fit in each sentence. Despite the spelling, the message of the sentences remained the same.
For non-native readers, these examples may be easy to understand, especially when they are not self-written.
The confusion sometimes comes when it is time to create your own examples. However, there is nothing to worry about; when you have to proofread your sentences, the Undetectable AI’s Sentence Rewriter is there.
Our tool makes sure your sentences sound natural and clear, especially if English is not your first language. All you have to do is feed your sample sentences to the AI rewriter and receive results with no clumsy wordings, and still, with the same original meaning.
Choosing the Right Spelling for Your Audience
Now that you have learnt more about focused and focussed, how are you going to actually make a choice of which one to use?
Here are a few tips to decide what spelling to use between focussed vs focused australia:
- Use the American Spelling When You are Unsure: In cases when you are writing to various people, and you are not certain what to do, then use the American spelling. Compared to focussed, focused is more popular. It is widely accepted regardless of the country.
- Know Your Audience: This is a big consideration in selecting a spelling. Always keep in mind that Americans say focused whereas the British, Canadians, Australians and Indians say focussed.
- Be Consistent: There is no need to mix focused and focussed in one document, except you are doing a comparison of both spellings. Pick one spelling and stick to it.
- Follow Your Publication Style Guide: The best thing to do when you are writing professionally is to stick to the spelling guide of the person you are working for. It shows you know how to follow instructions and you are professional.
- Always do Your Research: If you are unsure about the spelling to use, just ask Google. A quick “how to spell focused/focussed in [country] ” will clear any confusion. It is better to ask questions than to make avoidable mistakes.
- Match your Other Spellings: In the event that you are using American English spellings like color or check, pair them with focused. When you are working with British spellings, e.g., ‘colour or cheque’, then it is focussed.
Even if you cannot remember all the tips above, just make sure you never forget consistency. If you start with “focussed” in the opening paragraph, use it throughout the entire document.
If “focused” is what you started with, stick to it from start to finish.
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Common Pitfalls Writers Make
Most people make mistakes while figuring out the focused vs focussed situation, and that is okay because no one knows it all. Even the best writers are caught off guard.
Here are the common mistakes writers make with using focused or focussed:
Mixing Spellings in the Same Document
Most writers make the mistake of using “focused” in their introduction and “focussed” three paragraphs later. It is a caution to your readers, it demonstrates to them that you do not have complete control over your work.
Before you hand in your document do a quick find and replace just to ensure that your spelling is uniform.
Assuming One Spelling is Wrong
Some writers see the double ‘s’ in focussed and immediately assume that it is a grammatical error. While it may seem so visually, it is not, focussed is a valid regional spelling based on style preference.
Ignoring Your Style Guide
Being able to comply flawlessly with instructions is one of the elements that make you a better-than-average professional.
This implies that when writing to a publication, company, or even a college, one must have the style guide that dictates the spellings to be used.
Not Applying the Same Logic to Related Words
Whatever spelling you choose between focused/focussed should apply to related words. For instance, if you are choosing ‘focused,’ you should also write ‘focuses’ and ‘focusing.’
If you are choosing the British spelling, you should also write ‘focusses’ and ‘focussing.’
Overthinking It For Global Audiences
Use ‘focused’ if you are writing for a global audience and you are trying to figure out whether to use ‘focused’ or ‘focussed.’ It is more popular and also universally accepted.
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Final Thoughts
When you understand the difference between British and American spellings, the whole “focussed vs focused” debate becomes easy to crack.
You just have a situation of two different regional spelling traditions with zero difference in meaning.
In the case that you are from America or used to the spelling variation, it is normal that you are inclined to use focused without a second thought.
However, if you are writing for a British audience, your country of origin does not matter. You have to focus on the spelling guide of the British audience.
The rule you should always follow when it comes to spelling variations is consistency. Pick one spelling and commit to it from the beginning to the end.
It does not matter if you are using one ‘s’ or two. Being consistent is what makes your writing feel polished and professional.
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