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Keep on meaning

Keep on means to continue doing something, or do it again and again. It can also mean to talk to someone again and again about something, in an annoying way.

Check yourself: 3 questionsAll 6 phrasal verbs with keep

keep on

keep on · kept · keeping

B1No object+2 more meanings

Keep on walking until you see the church.

Keep 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, or do it again and again
  2. 2talk to someone again and again about something, in an annoying way
  3. 3continue to employ someone
  1. 1

    Continue doing something, or do it again and again

    keep on

    B1No object

    • Keep on walking until you see the church.
    • My phone keeps on turning itself off.
    • Why do you keep on asking me the same question?
  2. 2

    Talk to someone again and again about something, in an annoying way

    keep on

    C1No object

    • My mum keeps on at me to get a haircut.
    • Don’t keep on about the money. I’ll pay you back.
    • She kept on at him until he cleaned his room.
  3. 3

    Continue to employ someone

    keep somebody on

    C1Separable

    • The shop kept two staff on after the summer.
    • They’re keeping her on for another six months.
    • Only a few workers were kept on after the merger.
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Is keep on separable?

In its main meaning, keep on has no object. Use the -ing form after it: keep on trying. With an employee, the person goes in the middle: keep her on.

Keep on + -ing is a bit stronger than keep + -ing and can sound annoyed: He keeps on interrupting. Keep on at someone is mainly UK English.

Verb tenses for keep on

PresentI keep on · she keeps on
Pastkept on
Present perfecthave kept on
-ing formkeeping on

Common mistakes with keep on

What learners often say, and what to say instead.

  • Wrong: Keep on to practise and you’ll improve.

    Right: Keep on practising and you’ll improve.

    Use the -ing form after keep on.

  • Wrong: He keeps on to call me at night.

    Right: He keeps on calling me at night.

    Again, -ing, not to + verb.

  • Wrong: Keep up walking, we’re nearly there.

    Right: Keep on walking, we’re nearly there.

    For continuing an action, use keep on; keep up is for a level.

Synonyms and opposites of keep on

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

Similar

Opposite

Keep on quiz

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

  1. 1Don’t stop now. ___ going!

  2. 2Choose the right sentence.

  3. 3“My boss keeps on at me about my reports.” How does the speaker feel?

More phrasal verbs with keep

All phrasal verbs with keep, by level, with an exercise

6 phrasal verbs start with keep. Test yourself on all of them in a few minutes.

Test yourself on keepTake the full test

Keep on FAQ

Questions people ask about keep on.

What is the difference between keep and keep on?

Both mean continue: It keeps raining, it keeps on raining. Keep on sounds a bit stronger and can show you are annoyed.

Is keep on followed by -ing or to?

Always -ing: keep on running. To + verb is wrong.

What does keep on keeping on mean?

It is an informal, friendly phrase that means continue in a hard time and do not give up.

Use keep on in real conversations

In Slova you learn new words with picture cards, then use them when you talk about the things you love. A few minutes a day, at your level.

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