English Dictionary
Definition attend in British English
attend
verb
What are red words?
Around 90% of spoken and written English relies on just 7,500 common words.
These words are highlighted in red and are ranked using a star system.
- One-star words are commonly used
- Two-star words are even more common
- Three-star words are the most frequently used
verb
What are red words?
Around 90% of spoken and written English relies on just 7,500 common words.These words are highlighted in red and are ranked using a star system.
- One-star words are commonly used
- Two-star words are even more common
- Three-star words are the most frequently used
When attend means ‘to be present at an event or activity’, it is not used with the prepositions to or at. It is simply followed by a direct object:
✗ You go to university, attend to classes, but learn nothing about the real world.
✓ You go to university, attend classes, but learn nothing about the real world.
✗ They are able to attend at important meetings.
✓ They are able to attend important meetings.
In the same way, when attend means ‘to go regularly to school, church etc’, use a direct object (not attend to or attend at):
✗ In some parts of our country, people still don’t let girls attend to school.
✓ In some parts of our country, people still don’t let girls attend school.
✗ …a peak in the number of students attending at universities in Sweden.
✓ …a peak in the number of students attending universities in Sweden.
Don’t confuse these meanings with the phrasal verb attend to something, which means ‘to deal with something’:
My assistant will attend to all your travel arrangements.
to look after someone, especially someone who is ill or someone in an important position
