Attentive
/əˈtɛn.tɪv/
adjectiveB1
Definition
Attentive describes a person who watches, listens, or thinks carefully about what is happening or what someone says. It often shows care and interest in details or in other people’s needs.
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See It in Action
Paying close attention to something or someone
- •The teacher was attentive to every student's question.
- •Please be attentive during the safety instructions.
- •He listened attentively to the music.
Showing care or thought for others’ needs or feelings
- •The waiter was very attentive and refilled our drinks quickly.
- •She is an attentive mother who always watches over her children.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "attentive" like "watching" or "listening" (A1 words), but more focused and careful, not just looking or hearing casually
- ✓Imagine a student in class who looks at the teacher and listens carefully without getting distracted
- ✓It’s the feeling when you really care about what someone is saying or doing, like when a friend tells you an important story
- ✓Sounds like "at-TEN-tive" → imagine giving TEN (10) times more attention than usual to something important
- ✓Think of a nurse who watches patients closely and listens carefully to help them well
- ✓NOT like "distracted" (not paying attention), "attentive" means fully focused and interested
- ✓NOT like "busy" (doing many things), "attentive" means giving full attention to one thing or person
- ✓NOT like "careless" (not careful), "attentive" means careful and thoughtful
Try Other Words
- •Observant: noticing details carefully (Use when focusing more on seeing or noticing things)
- •Alert: ready and quick to notice things (Use when emphasizing quick reaction or awareness)
- •Focused: giving full attention to one thing (Use when emphasizing concentration on a task or idea)
Unboxing
- •Prefix "at-" comes from Latin meaning "to" or "toward"
- •Root "tent" comes from Latin "tendere," meaning "to stretch" or "to stretch toward"
- •Suffix "-ive" forms adjectives meaning "having the quality of"
- •Together, "attentive" means having the quality of stretching your mind or senses toward something
- •First used in English in the late 1500s with the meaning of paying attention or being watchful
- •Today it is used to describe people who listen carefully or watch closely and show care or interest
Reflect & Connect
•When is it important to be attentive in your daily life? Can being too attentive sometimes be a problem?
•How does being attentive help in learning a new language or skill?
Fill in the blanks
1.The student was attentive ___ the teacher’s explanation because the test was coming soon.
2.She gave an attentive ___ to her friend who was feeling sad.
3.Being attentive ___ helps you avoid mistakes when driving.
4.Unlike being distracted, attentive people ___ focus on what is happening around them.
5.The nurse was attentive ___ the patient’s needs during the night shift.
6.When someone is attentive, they usually ___ questions or respond quickly.
7.To be attentive in class, you need to ___ away from your phone and other distractions.