1.
to continue doing something
“Carry on with your work.”
“She carried on talking.”
“Keep calm and carry on.”
Synonyms: to continue, to go on, to keep on
Phrasal verb
What does carry on mean?
Meaning: to continue doing something
B1
This page for:
Quick answer
Carry on = to continue (very British). Carry on talking = continue talking. A famous British slogan says: Keep calm and carry on. It means the same as go on and keep on. It is not separable.
Meanings of the phrasal verb
2.
to behave badly (British, informal)
idiomatic“The kids were carrying on at school.”
Word order
Inseparable
The object goes after the particle, never between the verb and the particle.
Forms
- Present Simple:
- carry on
- Past Simple:
- carried on
- Past participle:
- carried on
- -ing form:
- carrying on
Common mistakes to avoid
Carry on + -ing (not to + verb)
Like go on and keep on, use carry on + -ing to say “continue doing”. She carried on reading ✓. Not She carried on to read ❌.
Carry on or go on?
They are very close. Carry on is very British. Go on is used everywhere. Both are correct in tests and exams.
Carry-on (with a hyphen) = a small bag for a plane
The noun a carry-on is a small bag you take on a plane (mostly American English). Carry-on luggage = the bags you keep with you on the plane. Do not confuse it with the verb carry on.
Practice quiz
Question 1 / 3The Big Challenge question bank
Related pages: carry on
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
What's next?
Carry on: you understand the rule. Now practise it.
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English contestCarry on: often tested in the English contest
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Frequently asked questions
What does carry on mean?+
Carry on means to continue (it is very British). Carry on + verb + -ing = to continue doing something. In British English, it can also mean to behave badly, but this is less common.
What is the difference between carry on and go on?+
They mean the same. Carry on is very British. Go on is used everywhere. In the UK, carry on is a little more formal and more common in writing.
Is it carry on doing or carry on to do?+
Use carry on + verb + -ing (to continue doing something) or carry on with + noun (to continue something). Carry on running / Carry on with your homework. Never carry on to run.
What is a carry-on?+
A carry-on (mostly American English) is a small bag that you take with you on a plane. The noun has a hyphen (-); the verb carry on does not. They are two different things.
What is the past simple of carry on?+
Carried on. Carry is a regular verb, but the y changes to i: carry → carried. She carried on working.
Related phrasal verbs
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/phrasal-verbs/carry-on
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.