Lesson 35 – Verb + Preposition – Depend On, Rely On and Focus On

🔊 Audio Learning

Ready to read.

📝 Daily Short Practice

⬜ Fill in the Blanks

⬜ Matching

⬜ Multiple Choice

⬜ Writing Practice

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🎯 Vocabulary Goal

Learn useful verb + preposition phrases to talk about trust and attention.

📚 Words & Phrases

Word or phrase	Simple meaning	Example
depend on	to need someone or something for help or support	We depend on good communication to work well as a team.
rely on	to trust someone or something to do what is needed	I rely on my family when I have a problem.
focus on	to give all your attention to something	Please focus on the task and finish it carefully.

🔍 See It in Context

Working Together Successfully

Anna said, "I depend on my colleagues to finish their parts of the project." Tom agreed, "Yes, we all have to rely on each other to meet the deadline." Anna added, "Right now, I need to focus on writing the report so we can send it tomorrow." Tom replied, "I will focus on organising the presentation slides." They know that to succeed, they depend on teamwork and must focus on their own tasks while relying on others.

💡 Notice the Pattern

Using depend on, rely on, and focus on

We use depend on and rely on to talk about trusting or needing someone. Focus on means giving attention to something. These verbs are always followed by the preposition on plus the object.

I depend on my friends for support.
She focuses on learning English every day.

💬 Useful Examples

You can always rely on your teachers for help.
We depend on the weather to decide the event date.
During the exam, try to focus on each question carefully.
The success of the team depends on good communication.

✏️ Exercise 1 – Fill in the Blanks

1.
We often ____ friendly advice when making big decisions (focus on / rely on / depend on).

2.
I need to ____ my computer to finish this project on time (focus on / rely on / depend on).

3.
Please ____ your studies and avoid distractions (focus on / rely on / depend on).

4.
We ____ volunteers to help at the community center every weekend (rely on / depend on / focus on).

5.
She always ____ her brother when she needs support (focus on / depend on / relies on).

🔗 Exercise 2 – Matching

1.
depend on

2.
rely on

3.
focus on

4.
She depends on the bus to get to work.

5.
They focus on improving their skills.

Options:

a.
She needs the bus to travel to work.
b.
They give all their attention to getting better.
c.
to need someone or something for support
d.
to trust someone to help or do what is needed
e.
to give full attention to something

✅ Exercise 3 – Multiple Choice

1.
Which phrase means to trust someone to help you?

2.
If you pay full attention to your work, you ____ it.

3.
When you need support from your friends, you usually ____ them.

4.
You ____ your phone to check emails and messages every day.

5.
The team must ____ finishing the project before the deadline.

📝 Use It Yourself

Write 2 or 3 sentences about something or someone you depend on or rely on. Use one or both phrases.

Example:
I depend on my alarm clock to wake up every morning. I also rely on my friends when I need advice.

🎙️ Speaking Practice

Practice these sentences aloud.

Say:
I depend on my car to get to work every day.

Say:
She always relies on her teammates during group projects.

Say:
We should focus on improving our English skills.

Ask:
Do you rely on your family for support?

🔎 Answer Key

Exercise 1 – Fill in the Blanks

1. rely on

2. depend on

3. focus on

4. depend on

5. relies on

Exercise 2 – Matching

1. c – to need someone or something for support

2. d – to trust someone to help or do what is needed

3. e – to give full attention to something

4. a – She needs the bus to travel to work.

5. b – They give all their attention to getting better.

Exercise 3 – Multiple Choice