continue

continue — verb

1. to happen or go on without stopping, or to remain involved in an activity over a

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveB1
Definition

to happen or go on without stopping, or to remain involved in an activity over a long period without a break

Example

Saira continued working at the lab even after the power went out.

continue + verb-ing for ongoing activity

The rain continued all morning, so the football match was cancelled.

intransitive: situation continues without object

Common collocations
  • continue working
  • continue to grow
  • continue for hours/days/weeks
  • continue without interruption
Synonyms
  • keep on

    more informal; often implies persistence despite difficulty

  • carry on

    slightly more conversational than continue; can suggest determination

  • persist

    more formal and emphatic, often with a sense of determination

Antonyms
  • stop

    direct opposite; to cease doing something

  • pause

    temporary break rather than permanent end

Grammar Patterns

continue + verb-ing (same subject)

continue + to-infinitive

continue + noun phrase as object

Usage Note

In this sense, continue can be followed by either a gerund (verb-ing) or a to-infinitive with little difference in meaning. The gerund form is slightly more common in everyday speech.

Common Mistakes

Saira continued to working
Saira continued working or Saira continued to work
after 'continue', use either the gerund or the to-infinitive, not a bare infinitive or a mixed form.

2. to pick up and resume an activity that was stopped, starting again from where it

2.verbtransitive / intransitiveB1
Definition

to pick up and resume an activity that was stopped, starting again from where it left off

Example

After a short break for coffee, Ziad continued reading the report.

continue + verb-ing after a pause

Sivan paused to answer the phone and then continued with her cooking.

continue with + noun phrase after interruption

Common collocations
  • continue after a break
  • continue with the lesson
  • continue where you left off
Synonyms
  • resume

    more formal; used especially in official or academic contexts

  • pick up where one left off

    idiomatic phrase; more conversational and descriptive

  • renew

    suggests starting again with fresh energy after a longer pause

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

continue + verb-ing (resuming)

continue + to-infinitive

continue with + noun phrase

Usage Note

This sense strongly implies that an activity was happening, stopped for a while, and then started again. The pause can be short (a few seconds) or long (months or years). Distinguish from sense 1, which describes something happening without any pause.

Common Mistakes

Let us to continue the discussion
Let us continue the discussion
'continue' is not followed by 'to' when a noun phrase comes directly after it.
We continued after stopping' (too vague to show the pause-and-resume meaning)
We continued the game after the rain stopped
make the pause explicit.

3. to stay in a particular situation, position, or physical place, without moving a

3.verbintransitiveB2
Definition

to stay in a particular situation, position, or physical place, without moving away or changing condition

Example

Ife continued as team leader even after the company was bought out.

continue as + role — staying in a position

Isabela continued in her teaching job for another decade before retiring.

continue in + job/situation

Common collocations
  • continue as
  • continue in
  • continue + adjective
  • continue in office/role/position
Synonyms
  • remain

    more formal; no difference in core meaning

  • stay

    more common in everyday speech; less formal

  • persist

    implies staying despite difficulty or opposition

Antonyms
  • leave

    to go away from a place or position

  • change

    to move to a different condition or role

Grammar Patterns

continue + as + role/position

continue + in + situation/place

continue + adjective (staying in a state)

Usage Note

In this sense, continue does NOT take a direct object. It is often followed by as (for a role), in (for a place or situation), or an adjective describing a state. Do not confuse with sense 4, which is about physical movement forward rather than staying still.

Common Mistakes

She continued as a teacher after retirement' (unclear if this means she stayed or kept working)
She continued teaching after retirement' for the ongoing-activity sense, or 'She continued as a teacher after retirement' for the remain-in-position sense
the meaning shifts based on context.
Arjun continued the factory' (sounds like he kept the factory running, not that he stayed there)
Arjun continued at the factory' for staying in place.

4. to keep moving forward along the same route, without turning, stopping, or chang

4.verbintransitiveB1
Definition

to keep moving forward along the same route, without turning, stopping, or changing direction

Example

Ingrid continued along the coastal path until she reached the lighthouse.

continue along + route

Ayana continued past the train station and turned right at the pharmacy.

continue past + landmark

Common collocations
  • continue along
  • continue past
  • continue down
  • continue towards
  • continue through
Synonyms
  • proceed

    more formal; often used in instructions or official contexts

  • go on

    phrasal verb; more conversational and widely used

  • carry on

    common in British English; slightly informal

Antonyms
  • stop

    to halt movement entirely

  • turn back

    to go in the opposite direction

Grammar Patterns

continue + direction preposition (along, past, down, through, towards)

continue + distance measurement

Usage Note

This sense is always intransitive and is typically followed by a prepositional phrase showing direction or a measurement of distance. The subject can be a person walking or driving, or a physical feature such as a road, path, or river. Distinguish from sense 3, where the meaning is staying still — this sense is about advancing.

Common Mistakes

Continue on the road' (redundant — 'on' is unnecessary when 'continue' already implies moving forward)
Continue along the road' or simply 'Continue the road' is not standard
use a direction preposition.
Phrasal verbs

continue with

phrasal verb

to go on doing something that you have already started, especially after a break or hesitation

Sana decided to continue with her music lessons even though the fees had gone up.

After a long discussion, the committee voted to continue with the original plan.

continue on

phrasal verb

to keep moving forward along a path or route, especially after a stop or delay

Benjamin paused to tie his shoelace and then continued on his run.

The bus continued on its usual route despite the road construction ahead.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All five verbs describe doing something without stopping, but they differ in register and connotation. Continue is the most neutral and widely used — suitable for any context, from casual conversation to formal writing. Keep on is more informal and often implies that the action requires effort or determination ('She kept on running even though her leg hurt'). Carry on is common in British English and can suggest optimism or resolve ('Carry on with your work'). Go on is the most conversational and can also mean 'proceed to the next thing' ('Go on with your story'). Persist is the most formal and carries a strong sense of determination despite obstacles ('He persisted with his research despite funding cuts'). In everyday writing, continue and carry on work best. In academic or professional contexts, continue or persist are more appropriate.

continue ↗keep on ↗carry on ↗go on ↗persist ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • continue (one's) work/studies/research
  • continue (one's) journey
  • continue a tradition/practice
  • continue a conversation/discussion

Adverbs

  • continue to + verb (formally)
  • continue indefinitely
  • continue steadily
  • continue uninterrupted
  • continue unabated

Phrases

  • continue as before
  • continue in the same way
  • continue on one's way
  • to be continued

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

The word continue comes from Latin 'continuare', meaning to join together or make continuous. The root 'continere' (con- 'together' + tenere 'to hold') gave the sense of 'holding together' without a break. The word entered English through Old French 'continuer' in the 1300s, and its core meaning of 'keeping on without interruption' has remained stable ever since.