keeping order

Meanings

1. 1phraseuncountable

   the act of making sure that people behave and follow rules, especially in a public place

   Grammar: Used as an uncountable noun phrase; it usually appears after verbs like 'be responsible for' or 'help with'.

   Patterns

   • responsible for keeping order
   • help with keeping order
   • keeping order in a place

   The police are responsible for keeping order during the parade.

   Teachers spend a lot of time keeping order in the classroom.

   Security guards were hired for the purpose of keeping order at the concert.

2. 2phraseuncountable

   the state of things being organized or arranged in a neat and correct way

   Grammar: Used about physical things or systems; often after 'in' or 'for'.

   Patterns

   • keeping order in something
   • a system for keeping order

   She has a special system for keeping order in her kitchen drawers.

   Keeping order in the files makes it easier to find documents.

Common combinations

keeping order in the classroom

Keeping order in the classroom is one of the hardest parts of teaching.

responsible for keeping order

The committee is responsible for keeping order at the meeting.

keeping order and discipline

The school focuses on keeping order and discipline.

law and order

The government promised to maintain law and order.

Synonyms and how they differ

maintaining order

Very similar, but slightly more formal and often used in official documents.

policing

Specifically about the work of police; 'keeping order' can also be done by teachers or guards.

Opposites

Word family

keep order phrase

The verb phrase form: to make people behave or keep things neat.

order noun

A situation in which everything is controlled and follows rules.

orderly adjective

Arranged neatly and calmly.

Commonly confused: keeping order or in order to?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “keeping order”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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