Meaning & use
keep going
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Meanings
phrasephrasal verbinformal
To continue doing something without stopping, especially when it is hard or tiring.
Grammar: No object; may be followed by with or an -ing form: keep going with the plan.
Patterns
- keep going with something
- keep going until something
The hill was steep, but she kept going until she reached the top.
If you feel tired, just keep going and rest at the next village.
He kept going despite the criticism.
phrasephrasal verbinformal
To continue to function or stay alive, especially with limited means.
Grammar: Used about people, businesses or machines that keep functioning.
Patterns
- keep something going
The small bakery kept going through the whole recession.
A few donations kept the clinic going.
Strong tea kept him going through the night shift.
phrasefixed phraseinformal
Used as encouragement to urge someone not to give up.
Grammar: Used as a short command: keep going!
Keep going, you're nearly there!
Keep going, everyone, the finish line is close.
I told myself, keep going, one more mile.
Word forms
| third person singular | keeps going |
|---|---|
| past tense | kept going |
| past participle | kept going |
| -ing form | keeping going |
Common combinations
- keep going until
- Keep going until you see the church.
- just keep going
- When it gets difficult, just keep going.
- keep going despite
- She kept going despite the pain.
- keep going strong
- The old radio is still keeping going strong.
- keep something going
- They kept the conversation going all evening.
Synonyms and how they differ
- carry on
- Carry on is slightly more formal and is used for resuming as well as continuing, while keep going stresses not stopping.
- persevere
- Persevere is formal and suggests steady effort over a long time, whereas keep going is casual.
- press on
- Press on implies moving forward with determination in spite of obstacles.
- soldier on
- Soldier on suggests continuing in a stubborn, uncomplaining way despite hardship.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: keep going or keep on?
keep going vs keep on
Keep on is almost the same but is normally followed by an -ing form: keep on talking.
Practice
The runner was exhausted, but her coach shouted, 'Keep ___!'
Choose one answer.
Keep going is the fixed encouraging phrase. Gone, to go and goes are not grammatical after keep in this meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “keep going”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.