2
general::
to continue doing something
continue
to not stop doing something that you are already doing:
• We need the money to continue our work. • They continued arguing for a long time. • Despite all the warnings, many people continue to smoke. • Sometimes she just couldn’t see the point of continuing. • My teacher advised me to continue with my studies.
go on
( also carry on especially British English ) to continue doing something. Go on is less formal than continue , and is the phrase that people usually use in everyday English:
• Dan went on talking but she was no longer listening. • He carried on with his day job. • Sheehan has carried on with her campaign.
keep (on) doing something
[ not in progressive ] to continue doing something for a long time – especially so that you feel tired or annoyed:
• We kept on walking until we got to the top of the hill. • The man kept staring at me.
persevere
to continue trying to do something in a very patient and determined way, in spite of difficulties. Persevere sounds rather formal:
• He didn’t know any English, but he persevered and became a good student. • Her health was rapidly declining but she persevered with her duties. • Stevenson persevered in his efforts to discover what had really happened. • Children today seem less willing to seek out challenges and persevere in the face of adversity.
to continue to happen
continue
to happen without stopping:
• The good weather seems likely to continue. • Unless there are serious negotiations, the fighting will continue. • Some people have lost work, and this will continue to happen until the computer system is fixed. • The review process is expected to continue for several weeks.
last
to continue – use this to say how long something continues for:
• I know my good luck won’t last forever. • It’s not certain how long the ceasefire will last. • The trial lasted for six days. • The meeting lasted until lunchtime. • The training period lasted from July 2 to August 25.
go on
to continue, especially for a long time:
• Disputes between neighbours can go on for years.
carry on
British English to continue, especially when there are problems:
• The game carried on despite the injury of two players.
drag on
to continue for much longer than necessary or for longer than you want:
• The meeting dragged on for another hour. • The talks dragged on, with no apparent hope of achieving a peaceful solution.
persist
formal if something bad persists, it continues to exist or happen:
• See your doctor if the symptoms persist. • If adverse weather conditions persist, the game will be cancelled.
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