phrasal verb · informal
keep after
UK/kiːp ˈɑːftə/US/kiːp ˈæftər/KEEP AF·TER
speakingtask2
to persistently remind or urge someone to do something
Examples
“My coach keeps after me to practise my free kicks.”
“If the kids forget their homework, parents usually keep after them.”
“The manager kept after the team until the report was ready.”
Band 8 sentence
“A good tutor keeps after their students with gentle reminders rather than constant criticism.”
Collocations
- keep after someone to do something
- keep after the students about homework
- keep after a deadline
Word family
keep after phrasal verbkeeps after phrasal verb (3rd sg)kept after phrasal verb (past)keeping after phrasal verb (gerund)
Common mistakes
She keeps me to do my homework.→She keeps after me to do my homework.
He keep aftered me yesterday.→He kept after me yesterday.
Say it for a higher band
5remind→6pester→7+keep after
Synonyms
remind repeatedly
nag
Easily confused
nag
“She would nag him every time he forgot to take out the rubbish.”
Related words
Learn this word with the rest of its set, and get reminded at the right time.
In keep …
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