What does the phrasal verb “attend to” mean?

What are the definitions of “attend to”?

Learn how to use these expressions through these examples

• 1. To give attention to or take care of someone or something.

  Are you being attended to?

• 2. To deal with or take care of something.

  We still have a number of other matters to attend to.

What’s the most common meaning of the phrasal verb “attend to”?

The most common meaning of the phrasal verb attend to is to give attention to or take care of someone or something. It can be used to describe helping someone, dealing with a task, or focusing on a particular issue.

What are the different verb forms of “attend to”?

Root Verb	attend to
Third Person Singular Present	attends to
Present Participle	attending to
Simple Past	attended to
Past Participle	attended to

Example

Please attend to the customer's needs.

Example

She attends to her garden every day.

Example

He is attending to the paperwork for the meeting.

Example

Yesterday, they attended to the broken window.

Example

The nurse has attended to the patient's needs.

What kind of phrasal verb is “attend to”?

📝

Notes from a Native English Speaker

What is a transitive and intransitive verb?
- A transitive verb always has an object after it. (Example: Sam bought a car.)
- An intransitive verb never has an object.(Example: She laughed loudly.)

Transitive verb

“attend to” is a transitive phrasal verb because it requires a direct object to complete its meaning. The direct object specifies what is being removed, obtained, or eliminated.

Example

She attended to the customer's complaint.

Example

He attended to the broken pipe.

📝

Notes from a Native English Speaker

What is a separable and inseparable phrasal verb?
- A “separable phrasal verb” can be separated with an object between the verb and particle.
- An “inseparable phrasal verb” cannot be separated by an object.

Inseparable

“attend to” is an inseparable phrasal verb. This means that you can’t place an object between the verb and the particle, otherwise, it changes the meaning of the phrasal verb.

Example

She attended to the customer's complaint.

Example

He attended to the broken pipe.

What are common phrases and expressions that include the phrasal verb “attend to”?

Attend to someone's needs

To take care of or help someone with their requirements or necessities.

Example

The hotel staff attended to our needs during our stay.

Attend to a task

To focus on or deal with a specific task or responsibility.

Example

I need to attend to my emails before the end of the day.

Attend to a problem

To address or resolve an issue or problem.

Example

The technician attended to the computer issue quickly.

Good things to know

Does “attend to” have an informal or formal tone?

Attend to is a neutral phrasal verb that can be used in both formal and informal contexts. It is appropriate for everyday conversations, as well as more formal settings, such as business meetings or professional correspondence.

What are synonyms of antonyms to the phrasal verb “attend to”?

Synonyms

• address
• manage
• deal with
• focus on
• handle
• tend to
• take care of
• look after

Antonyms

• ignore
• neglect
• overlook
• disregard
• abandon
• postpone
• delay