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Carry on meaning

Carry on means to continue doing something. It can also mean to continue moving in the same direction.

Check yourself: 3 questions

carry on

carry on · carried · carrying

A2No object+2 more meanings

Sorry I stopped you. Carry on with your story.

Carry on meanings and examples

3 meanings, each with its own CEFR level. A level marked ~ is our estimate: Oxford and Cambridge give none for that meaning.

  1. 1continue doing something
  2. 2continue moving in the same direction
  3. 3behave in a noisy, silly or too emotional way
  1. 1

    Continue doing something

    carry on

    A2No object

    • Sorry I stopped you. Carry on with your story.
    • She carried on working after she had the baby.
    • We can’t carry on like this. Something has to change.
  2. 2

    Continue moving in the same direction

    carry on

    B1No object

    • Carry on down this road until you see the bank.
    • We carried on walking, even though it was dark.
    • Don’t turn here. Carry on to the next lights.
  3. 3

    Behave in a noisy, silly or too emotional way

    carry on

    C1No object

    • The kids were carrying on in the back of the car.
    • Stop carrying on! It’s only a small scratch.
    • He carried on for an hour about the late train.
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Is carry on separable?

Carry on is used alone or with with + noun: Carry on. Carry on with your work. With a verb, use -ing: carry on reading.

Carry on is more common in UK English; US English often says keep going or continue. A carry-on, with a hyphen, is a small bag you take onto a plane.

Verb tenses for carry on

PresentI carry on · she carries on
Pastcarried on
Present perfecthave carried on
-ing formcarrying on

Common mistakes with carry on

What learners often say, and what to say instead.

  • Wrong: Please carry on to read.

    Right: Please carry on reading.

    After carry on, use the -ing form.

  • Wrong: Carry on your homework, please.

    Right: Carry on with your homework, please.

    Before a noun, use carry on with.

  • Wrong: We carried out walking for an hour.

    Right: We carried on walking for an hour.

    Carry out means do a task; carry on means continue.

Synonyms and opposites of carry on

Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.

Similar

Opposite

Carry on quiz

Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.

  1. 1Don’t stop now. ___ with the exercise.

  2. 2Choose the right sentence.

  3. 3At the airport: “Is this bag a carry-on?” What is the question about?

More phrasal verbs with carry

2 phrasal verbs start with carry. Test yourself on all of them in a few minutes.

Test yourself on carryTake the full test

Carry on FAQ

Questions people ask about carry on.

What is the difference between carry on and carry out?

Carry on means continue: Carry on talking. Carry out means do or complete a task: carry out a test.

Is carry on followed by -ing or to?

Use -ing: He carried on working. Before a noun, use with: carry on with the project.

What is a carry-on?

It is a small bag or suitcase that you take with you into the plane cabin: Only one carry-on per person.

Use carry on in real conversations

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