Irregular verb
The verb to keep
keep → kept → kept
A2Meaning: to have and not give back; to continue · Type: irregular · Frequency: Top 50 English verbs
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they keep·he/she/it keeps - Past Simple:
kept - Past participle:
kept(the same as the Past Simple) - -ing form:
keeping
Conjugation of the verb to keep
Present Simple
| I | keep |
| You | keep |
| He / She / It | keeps |
| We | keep |
| You (pl.) | keep |
| They | keep |
Past Simple
| I | kept |
| You | kept |
| He / She / It | kept |
| We | kept |
| You (pl.) | kept |
| They | kept |
All the forms of the verb to keep
Present Simple
Full pagekeep / keeps
“I keep all my old photos.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are keeping
“I am keeping a diary right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pagekept
“She kept the letter for years.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were keeping
“I was keeping a diary when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has kept
“I have already kept a diary.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad kept
“She had already kept a diary when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill keep
“I will keep a diary tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to keep
“I'm going to keep a diary this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould keep
“I would keep a diary if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to keep
1. Keeping something (not giving it away)
- I keep all my old photos.
- Keep the change.
2. Continuing (keep + -ing)
Keep + -ing means to continue doing something.
- Keep going!
- She kept asking questions.
3. Staying in the same state
Keep + adjective means to stay that way: Keep calm. Keep + thing + adjective means to make it stay that way: Keep the door closed.
- Keep calm.
- Keep the door closed.
Common mistakes to avoid
1. Keep to work ❌
Keep + -ing means to continue: Keep working. Keep to work is wrong. After keep, use the -ing form.
2. Save a secret ❌
The fixed expression is keep a secret: Can you keep a secret? Not save a secret. You save money or a computer file.
Going further
Conjugating to keep is a key skill in the English contest
Every year, the Big Challenge tests the key English verbs. Register your students so they can check their level in a real contest.
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Practise on PLAYYou can conjugate to keep. Now say it out loud.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of keep?+
The Past Simple of keep is kept, the same for every person. The past participle is kept too. Keep → kept → kept.
What does keep + -ing mean?+
Keep + -ing means to continue doing something. Keep going! means don't stop! She kept talking means she didn't stop talking. It is very common.
What does keep the change mean?+
Keep the change means you don't want the extra money back. You say it in a café or to a taxi driver. Here, keep means to have something and not give it back.
What is the difference between keep and save?+
Keep means to have something and not give it away (an object, a secret). Save means to put money away for later, to help someone in danger, or to store a computer file. I save money every month. She keeps her money in a box.
What does keep in touch mean?+
Keep in touch means to stay in contact. Let's keep in touch! People often say it when they say goodbye, or at the end of an email.
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/verbs/keep
© 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.