Keep up

keep up & keeps up keeping up kept up kept up

1. keep... up p.v. When you keep an activity up, you continue doing it.

Leopards can run extremely fast, but they can't keep it up longer than a minute or two.

I told you to stop doing that. If you keep it up, I'm going to get angry.

2. keep up (with) p.v. When you are in a group that is studying, working, and so on, and you are able to learn or work at the same rate as the others, you keep up or keep up with the group. Fall behind is the opposite of keep up.

Lydia missed several days of school last month, and now she's having a hard time keeping up with the rest of the class.

The assembly line was going so fast that no one could keep up.

3. keep up (with) p.v. When you keep up or keep up with people or things that are moving, you are able to move at the same rate. Fall behind is the opposite of keep up.

Bob walks so fast that it's hard to keep up with him.

The wounded soldiers couldn't keep up with the rest of the army.

4. keep up (with) p.v. When you can understand and respond to a situation that is changing, you are able to keep up with the situation.

Computer technology is changing so fast. How can anyone keep up with it?

Jane always has some new idea. I can't keep up with her.

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5. keep... up p.v. When people or things keep you up, they prevent you from going to bed, or if you are in bed, they prevent you from falling asleep.

Ned just would not leave last night; he kept me up until 2:00 in the morning.

That noisy party across the alley kept me up all night.

EXERCISE 38a — Complete the sentences with phrasal verbs from this section. Be sure the phrasal verbs are in the correct tense.

1. The student's excuse for not doing his homework was so ridiculous that his teacher couldn't ________ ________ laughing.

2. What I'm going to tell you is highly confidential, so ______ it ______ yourself.

3. The baby's crying ________ Judy ________ half the night.

4. Don't quit now — you're almost finished. ________ ________ it.

5. The company increased its profits by ________ costs ________.

6. I've tried to quit smoking a hundred times, but I just can't ________ ________ cigarettes longer than a day.

7. Slower traffic should ________ ________ the right.

8. Now that I live in New York, I can't _____ ____ with local news in my hometown.

9. Sally is really angry at your brother, so it would be a good idea to ________ him ________ from her.

10. My algebra class is too difficult for me. I can't_______ _________.

11. You're going to have to walk faster than that if you want to ________ ________ with us.

12. Please________your dog________our lawn.

13. If you don't________________your exercise program, you're going to gain all the weight back.

14. Could you ________ the music ________? Your mother's trying to sleep.

15. Parents try to ________ their children ________ making mistakes, but sometimes it isn't easy.

16. If you ________________eating so much butter and so many eggs, you're going to have a heart attack.

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17. The new owner said the company was losing too much money to ________ all the workers ________ and that some would have to be laid off.

18. Look at the prices on this menu! Let's try to ________ it ________ a hundred bucks, okay?

19. I don't want to talk to you ever again, so ________ ________ from me!

EXERCISE 38b — Write answers to the questions using phrasal verbs from this section. Be sure the phrasal verbs are in the correct tense.

1. My father asked me to speak more quietly. What did my father ask me to do?

2. I told the travel agent that we have only $4,000 to spend on our vacation, so she has to make sure the cost doesn't go over that. What did I ask the travel agent to do?

3. My geometry class is so boring that I can't stop myself from falling asleep. What can't I do in my geometry class?

4. My teacher told me that calculus is difficult but that I have to continue trying to understand it. What did my teacher tell me?

5. The political situation in Washington changes every day, and it's hard to understand what is happening. What is it hard to do?

6. Sarah and I were running. I quit after three miles, but she continued running. What did Sarah do?

7. You've got to remain at a great distance from this area because it is radioactive. What have you got to do about the radioactive area?

8. Heather thinks Mike isn't telling her everything. What does Heather think about Mike?

9. Janice got excellent grades in her first year of college. I hope she can continue to do well. What do I hope Janice can do?

10. I asked my husband not to let the children near my computer. What did I ask my husband?

11. The economist said it's important not to let inflation go higher. What did the economist say?

12. Bill hasn't used drugs for five years. What has Bill done?

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13. My son is eighteen, so I can't stop him if he wants to join the Army. What can't I do to my son?

14. Sarah's having a little trouble in school. It's hard for her to stay at the same level as the other students. What is hard for Sarah?

EXERCISE 38c — Write eight original sentences using phrasal verbs from this section.

1. __________________________________________________

2. _______________________________________________________

3.____________________________________________________

4. _______________________________________________________

5.____________________________________________________

6. ____________________________________________________

7. _______________________________________________________

8. ____________________________________________________

EXERCISE 38d, Review — Complete the sentences with these phrasal verbs from previous sections. Be sure the phrasal verbs are in the correct tense. To check their meanings, review the section number given after each one.

1. Raul is constantly criticizing me, but I usually just ________ him ________.

2. I can barely hear this radio. The batteries must be _______ _________.

3. When the electricians went on strike, the entire construction project ________ ________ schedule.

4. Jake's claim that he accidentally shot Tony six times didn't ________ ________ well with the jury.

5. The dictator ________ ________ after three aircraft carriers started sailing toward his country.

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6. I need to check the furnace. The temperature got below sixty degrees last night, but the heat didn't ________ ________.

7. A big, old tree ________ ________ last night and smashed a hole in our roof.

8. ________ ________ — there's nothing to get upset about.

9. Several major changes in society ________ ________ as a result of the industrial revolution.

10. Are you going to do any work at all today or will you just ________ ________?

11. Don't waste your time asking Erik; he doesn't ________ anything ________ it.

12. Timmy's mother _______ him _______ and talked to him about his bad grades.

13. How much money was ______ ______ after you finished paying for everything?

14. You can ________ those papers ________ over there.

15. I don't have anything to do today. I'm just going to _____ _____ here and relax.

16. I'm so mad at her. I'll never ________ ________ her again!