keep on

continue doing something without stopping

B1

What does "keep on" mean?

To keep on doing something means to continue doing it without stopping, or to do it again and again. It often suggests real effort or determination — someone pushing through difficulty rather than giving up. In more negative situations, it can describe repeated behaviour that annoys other people, like someone who won't stop complaining or interrupting. Compared to simply saying 'keep doing something', adding 'on' puts a little more emphasis on the persistence — it feels stronger or more insistent. You'll hear it a lot in everyday conversations, encouraging someone to stay motivated, or in frustrated comments about someone who just won't quit.

Examples

How to use it

keep on + verb-ing

The core pattern — 'keep on' must always be followed by a gerund (-ing form). This is the only way to use it in the 'continue' sense.

She kept on walking even though her feet were tired.

keep on + verb-ing + object

When the action has an object, the object comes after the gerund, not between 'keep' and 'on'.

He keeps on making the same mistake every time.

imperative: keep on + verb-ing

Very common in encouragement or instructions, telling someone to continue without stopping.

Keep on trying — you're getting better every day!

keep on + verb-ing + about + topic

Used to describe someone repeatedly bringing up the same subject, often in an annoying way.

My flatmate keeps on complaining about the noise from upstairs.

Common Collocations

keep on tryingkeep on goingkeep on workingkeep on talkingkeep on askingkeep on complaining

Common Mistakes

Using an infinitive instead of -ing

'Keep on' must always be followed by a gerund (-ing form). Using a bare infinitive or 'to' + infinitive is incorrect.

✗ She kept on to work late every night.
✓ She kept on working late every night.
Confusing 'keep on' with 'go on'

'Go on' often means to resume something after a pause or to encourage someone to speak ('Go on, tell me!'). 'Keep on' focuses on uninterrupted continuation or repeated action, not restarting.

✗ We had a short break, then kept on from where we stopped.
✓ We had a short break, then went on from where we stopped.

Usage

Neutral to informal in register and very common in everyday speech. Adding 'on' to 'keep' emphasizes persistence or determination in positive contexts, but can also suggest annoying repetition ('She keeps on interrupting me!').

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'keep on' the same as 'keep' + -ing? What's the difference?

'Keep on trying' and 'keep trying' mean almost the same thing. However, 'keep on' adds a slight feeling of persistence or — in negative situations — annoying repetition. Saying 'She keeps on interrupting me' sounds slightly more frustrated than 'She keeps interrupting me'.

Can 'keep on' be used without a verb after it?

In the 'continue doing something' sense, 'keep on' must be followed by a gerund (-ing form). You can't end a sentence with just 'keep on' to mean continue — you need to say what the person is continuing to do. The one exception is in very informal speech where the meaning is obvious from context, such as 'Just keep on!' as a shout of encouragement.

What does 'keep on keeping on' mean? I've heard it in songs.

'Keep on keeping on' is an idiomatic expression that means to continue persisting no matter what difficulties you face. It has a warm, motivational tone and is especially common in songs and inspirational speech. It's perfectly natural English, even if it sounds a little repetitive by design.

Can I use 'keep on' to talk about something that will happen in the future?

Yes — 'will keep on + -ing' is a natural future form. For example, 'If you don't say anything, she will keep on talking all night.' What you should avoid is more complicated future forms like 'will have kept on', which sound awkward and unnatural.

Related Phrasal Verbs

carry on
press on

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