keep up: meaning and explanation
to keep up with somebody/something = to stay level, equal or up to date with somebody or something.
This could often be used in a physical sense. For example, imagine a parent walking quickly along the street with their child behind them. If the child is walking slowly, the parent might turn around and say, “Keep up!”. They want the child to stay level with them, not to fall behind.
This phrasal verb could also be used in a non-physical sense, such as with speech. e.g. He gave me the instructions so quickly that I could hardly keep up.
We can also use this phrasal verbs to communicate the idea of staying up to date with the news or developments. e.g. As a fashion designer, it’s very important that I keep up with the latest trends.
If you say, “I can’t keep up”, it means that it is too difficult or impossible for you to stay at the same level as someone or something. e.g. Technology changes so quickly these days that I can’t keep up anymore.
Have a go at these micro-dictation exercises to hear this expression being used in context – how much can you understand?
Listening exercises
Dictation #1
Accent: Ireland
About the sentence
…I went for a run…
Notice the useful structure to go for a ___ to talk about exercise. e.g. I needed some fresh air, so I decided to go for a run/jog/walk/swim/bike ride etc.
Dictation #2
Accent: England (RP)
Dictation #3
Accent: North America
About the sentence
…I like to keep up with current affairs…
Note that the meaning of to like to do sth is different from to like doing sth.
to like doing sth = to enjoy sth, e.g. I like reading in the garden when the sun is out.
to like to do sth = to do something because it is a preference, habit or tendency. e.g. I like to alternate fiction and non-fiction books.
This means that you might like to do something which you don’t enjoy. e.g. I like to wake up at 6am so I can have a relaxed breakfast.
Extra practice
Here are some questions/links to help you learn the new vocabulary:
- When you listen to native speakers or watch a film or TV program in English, do you find it difficult to keep up?
- Do you like to keep up with current affairs? How?
- Think of a time when you couldn’t keep up with something – tell me about it using the phrasal verb.
When you listen to native speakers or watch a film or TV program in English, do you find it difficult to keep up?
ans) I watch a bunch of youtube videos by native speakers every single day, and that is always hard for me to understand because of their accent and speed. From when I was young, I have constantly learned English but I read some texts in the textbook and memorized a bunch of words, which means I had many inputs but i had no any outputs. So, even I cannot express some simple sentences even though I know if i see the sentences.
Do you like to keep up with current affairs? How?
ans) As long as I have a free time every single day, I try to read a news or watch youtube videos which deals with many affairs in the society. I think I have to have a interest in many affairs to survive in the current society. Because a society is changing rapidly and rapidly.
Think of a time when you couldn’t keep up with something – tell me about it using the phrasal verb.
ans) I’ve been interested in studying software engineering nowadays. It is actually the preparation to become software enginner. But I am so scary because new techniques is appearing every year so I can’t keep up with the phenomenon that new techniques is appearing.
Great answers, well done! The issue you describe (many inputs with no outputs) is a really common problem I think. I’ve come across many students who know a lot of English in theory but have big problems when it comes to speaking.
One small correction – we use ‘scary’ to describe the thing that scares us, and ‘scared’ to describe our feelings. e.g. Going up to the top of the skyscraper was very scary / I felt very scared when I was on the top of the skyscraper.