Keep Up With – Meaning and Examples

In our fast-moving world, we often need to stay current with news, trends, or the pace of others. In English, we use the phrase keep up with to describe maintaining this pace or staying informed. This practical idiom is essential for talking about modern life challenges.

What Does “Keep Up With” Mean?

“Keep up with” means to stay at the same level, pace, or current state as someone or something. Think of it like trying to walk as fast as a friend who has longer legs—you need to maintain their speed. It describes the effort to stay current, informed, or matched with others.

When to Use It

Use this idiom when talking about staying informed about news or trends. Use it when maintaining the same pace as others in work, sports, or activities. Use it when managing to handle all your responsibilities. It is a neutral phrase that works in both casual and professional contexts.

Example Sentences

It’s hard to keep up with all the new technology.
I can’t keep up with my younger brother when we run together.
She reads several newspapers to keep up with current events.
I’m struggling to keep up with all my assignments this semester.

Mini Dialogue

Maria: “Do you watch that new streaming series everyone’s talking about?”

David: “No, there are so many new shows—it’s impossible to keep up with them all!”

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Remember, this idiom is about maintaining pace or staying current. It is not about physically supporting or holding something up.

❌ Don’t say: “Can you help me keep up with this heavy box?” (Use “hold up” instead).
✅ Do say: “I need to read industry blogs to keep up with the latest developments.”

Practice Tip

Choose one area you want to stay current with, like news, fashion, or a hobby. Say aloud, “I try to keep up with [your topic] by [your method].” For example, “I try to keep up with technology news by reading articles online.”

Final Note

You now know how to use “keep up with” to talk about staying current, maintaining pace, and matching others’ progress. This versatile phrase will help you describe the challenges and efforts of modern life accurately. Use it to discuss everything from news to work demands, and you’ll sound like a native English speaker!

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