Keep phrasal verbs

By admin 11 comments

This lesson looks at the verb ‘to keep’ combined with particles:

‘to keep at’ something means to continue doing something even if it is hard or unpleasant.

  • Learning phrasal verbs is hard so you have to keep at it every day.
  • I had to finish so I kept at it for an hour before I took a break.

‘to keep back’ means to not use or give away all of something.

  • Keep back some of the cream to put on top of the dessert.
  • We kept back some of the money for emergencies.

‘to keep down’ means to stop the number or level of something from rising.

  • If we want to make a profit this year, we have to keep costs down as much as possible.
  • I try to eat well and exercise regularly to keep my weight down.

‘to keep off’ = means to not go onto an area.

  • Please keep off the grass.
  • Keep off the motorway in the morning, there are always traffic jams at that time.

‘to keep off’ can also mean to not talk about a particular subject.

  • He started talking about it. I tried to keep off the subject.
  • He can’t keep off the question of climate change, he never stops talking about.

‘to keep on’ means to continue with something.

  • All night long he kept on asking me questions about it.
  • I asked him to stop but he just kept on.

‘to keep out of’ means to not get involved in something.

  • It’s not my business. I keep out of their arguments.
  • It’s got nothing to do with me. I’m keeping out of it.

‘to keep to’ means stay on a subject when talking.

  • We don’t have much time so can we keep to the agenda, please?
  • Can you keep to the point, please?

‘to keep up’ means to go at the same speed as someone or something.

  • She was walking so fast that I couldn’t keep up with her.
  • I’ve got too much to do at the moment. I can’t keep up with my work.

exercise1

exercise 2

exercise 3

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11 Comments

mahmoud khalil

May 5, 2011, 4:12 pm

you are so wonderful.
I am grateful to you.

Irian Vasallo Bàez

May 5, 2011, 5:01 pm

Dear pearson,
thank you very much once more for your useful lessons. I feel I am improving the English language everyday. I study all that and learn a lot.
Congratulations on Mother`s Day.
Irian from Cuba

Irian Vasallo Bàez

May 5, 2011, 6:26 pm

Irian Vasallo Bàez says:
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
May 10, 2011 at 5:01 pm

Dear pearson,
thank you very much once more for your useful lessons. I feel I am improving the English language everyday. I study all that and learn a lot.
Congratulations on Mother`s Day.
Irian from Cuba

Amir Maharat

May 5, 2011, 9:55 am

Thanks very much for your nice and very useful gramatical points.

I have one question :

when we use simple verb after TO and when we use ing form after to ?

Thank you very much
Best Regards
Amir

admin

May 5, 2011, 9:40 am

I cover that in the ebook I esnt you 😉 See http://englishgrammarsecrets.com/ingform/menu.php

irina

May 5, 2011, 4:01 pm

Thank you for your lessons, I find them helpful.
Irina.

Jonson

May 5, 2011, 6:12 pm

Hi,

This lesson impressed me a lot! 🙂 I really learnt much.
Keep up your great work… I will share your blog with my friends.

(From – Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India)

Elena Lizhanskaya

May 5, 2011, 5:40 pm

Thank you ever so much, dear Pearson. Your lessons help me greatly!

mohamadreza

May 5, 2011, 8:39 am

Hi Dear Pearson,
How are you?
I was worried about your health and i hope that you become healthy as soon as possible.My english is improving everyday and i do the exercises regularly.
Thank you very much again.

Didie

May 5, 2011, 7:56 am

It improves my English much better, thanks friend

brigitta

Jun 6, 2011, 2:28 pm

my new E’mail adress

Comments are closed.