keep up with — to stay at the same level or speed as someone or something
phrasal verbB1IELTS 5+neutralcommon
to move, learn, or do things fast enough so that you are not left behind by others or by changes.
Say it like a native
Textbook I find it difficult to maintain the same pace as my colleagues.
Native I can't keep up with my colleagues.
'Keep up with' is natural; 'maintain the same pace as' is wordy.
Pattern: keep up with + noun/pronoun
In use
- It's hard to keep up with all the new apps coming out these days.daily life
- In my opinion, it's important to keep up with the latest news so you can understand what's happening in the world.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ I can't keep up my classmates.
✓ I can't keep up with my classmates.
Don't drop 'with' — 'keep up WITH someone/something'.
Common collocations
keep up with— with, the news, the others, demand
Don't confuse it
Not the same as 'catch up with', which means to reach the same level after being behind.