Is 'keep up' separable?

Yes, when used transitively (with a direct object). You can say 'Keep up the good work' or 'Keep it up'. With the preposition 'with', it is inseparable: 'keep up with the news'.

What's the difference between 'keep up' and 'catch up'?

'Keep up' is about maintaining a position or pace from the start. 'Catch up' is about reaching that position or pace after starting from behind. First you catch up, then you try to keep up.

Can 'keep up' be used about emotions?

Yes, in a figurative sense. E.g., 'I can't keep up with his mood swings' (understand/follow) or 'She kept up her spirits' (maintained).

What is the noun form related to 'keep up'?

The related noun is 'upkeep', which refers specifically to the process or cost of maintaining something in good condition.

keep up

B1 (Intermediate)

UK/ˌkiːp ˈʌp/US/ˌkiːp ˈʌp/

Neutral to informal; widely used in both spoken and written English.

My Flashcards

Definition

Meaning

To continue at the same pace or level; to prevent from falling or declining.

To maintain a standard, pace, or connection; to stay informed about something; to persist or continue an activity.

Linguistics

Semantic Notes

Primarily a phrasal verb. It is often transitive ('keep up the good work') but can be intransitive ('if you can't keep up, tell us'). Strongly implies maintenance or continuation against a potential decline or falling behind. Can be used literally (physical pace) or figuratively (information, standards).

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

Minimal. Slight preference in US English for 'keep up' in contexts of competition ('keep up with the Joneses'). In UK English, 'keep up' might be more common in educational admonishments ('try to keep up!').

Connotations

Broadly similar. Can carry a slight pressure or challenge, implying effort is required to maintain the pace.

Frequency

High frequency in both varieties, with very similar usage patterns.

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong

keep up withkeep up the good workkeep up appearanceskeep up the pace

medium

keep up paymentskeep up moralekeep up a traditionhard to keep up

weak

keep up a correspondencekeep up the pressurekeep up a friendship

Grammar

Valency Patterns

[Subject] keep up (intransitive)[Subject] keep up [Object] (transitive)[Subject] keep up with [Object] (prepositional verb)

Vocabulary

Synonyms

Strong

perseverepersist

Neutral

maintaincontinuesustain

Weak

matchequal

Vocabulary

Antonyms

fall behindlag behinddropslackengive up

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

“keep up with the Joneses”
“keep up appearances”
“keep your chin up (related)”

Usage

Context Usage

Business

"We must keep up with market trends to remain competitive."

Academic

"Students are expected to keep up with the extensive reading list."

Everyday

"I read the news to keep up with what's happening."

Technical

"The cooling system must keep up with the processor's heat output."

Examples

By Part of Speech

verb

British English

It's hard to keep up with the neighbour's new car.
Keep up the brilliant work on the project.

American English

Can you keep up with this workout routine?
We need to keep up the pressure for reform.

Examples

By CEFR Level

Please walk slowly, I can't keep up.
Keep up the good work!

I read blogs to keep up with fashion trends.
He works hard to keep up his grades.

The company struggled to keep up with sudden demand.
She kept up a brave face despite the bad news.

Legislation often fails to keep up with technological innovation.
They kept up a pretence of normality for the children's sake.

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Imagine a runner in a race. To 'keep up' is to stay level with the person next to you. If you 'keep up' your studies, you stay level with the class.

Conceptual Metaphor

PROGRESS IS A JOURNEY (keeping up means staying on the path and moving with others); MAINTENANCE IS HOLDING SOMETHING UP (preventing it from falling down).

Watch out

Common Pitfalls

Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)

Avoid direct translation from 'держать вверх'. The correct equivalent depends on context: 'успевать' (for pace), 'поддерживать' (for maintenance), 'быть в курсе' (for information).
Confusing 'keep up with' (follow/sustain pace) with 'catch up with' (reach after being behind).

Common Mistakes

Incorrect preposition: 'keep up on the news' (less common) vs standard 'keep up with the news'.
Using it as a noun: 'The keep up of the house was expensive.' (Incorrect; use 'maintenance' or 'upkeep').
Separating the verb and particle incorrectly with a pronoun: 'Keep it up!' is correct; 'Keep up it!' is wrong.

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap

The software updates are frequent, so it's a challenge to with the latest features.

Multiple Choice

In the sentence 'They kept up appearances after the financial loss,' what does 'kept up' mean?

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

: Yes, when used transitively (with a direct object). You can say 'Keep up the good work' or 'Keep it up'. With the preposition 'with', it is inseparable: 'keep up with the news'.
: 'Keep up' is about maintaining a position or pace from the start. 'Catch up' is about reaching that position or pace after starting from behind. First you catch up, then you try to keep up.
: Yes, in a figurative sense. E.g., 'I can't keep up with his mood swings' (understand/follow) or 'She kept up her spirits' (maintained).
: The related noun is 'upkeep', which refers specifically to the process or cost of maintaining something in good condition.

Explore

Related Words

hold on