The Verb "Keep" in English

Conjugation of "To Keep"

The verb "keep" is an irregular verb. (This means that "keep" does not form its simple past tense or its past participle by adding "-ed" or "-d" to the base form.)

The Five Forms of "To Keep"

FormkeepAlternative Name
Base FormkeepInfinitive Form
The -S FormkeepsThird Person Singular Form
Past FormkeptSimple Past Tense
The -ING FormkeepingPresent Participle Form
The Past Participle Formkept[no alternative name]

"To Keep" in All the Tenses

The tables below show how "keep" conjugates in the past, present, and future tenses.

Past Tenses

PersonSimple PastPast Progressive TensePast Perfect TensePast Perfect Progressive Tense
  • I
  • you
  • he/she/it
  • we
  • you
  • they
  • kept
  • kept
  • kept
  • kept
  • kept
  • kept
The simple past tense is for a completed activity that happened in the past.
  • was keeping
  • were keeping
  • was keeping
  • were keeping
  • were keeping
  • were keeping
The past progressive tense is for an ongoing activity in the past. Often, it is used to set the scene for another action.
  • had kept
  • had kept
  • had kept
  • had kept
  • had kept
  • had kept
The past perfect tense is for emphasizing that an action was completed before another took place.
  • had been keeping
  • had been keeping
  • had been keeping
  • had been keeping
  • had been keeping
  • had been keeping
The past perfect progressive tense is for showing that an ongoing action in the past has ended.

Present Tenses

PersonSimple PresentPresent Progressive TensePresent Perfect TensePresent Perfect Progressive Tense
  • I
  • you
  • he/she/it
  • we
  • you
  • they
  • keep
  • keep
  • keeps
  • keep
  • keep
  • keep
The simple present tense is mostly for a fact or a habit.
  • am keeping
  • are keeping
  • is keeping
  • are keeping
  • are keeping
  • are keeping
The present progressive tense is for an ongoing action in the present.
  • have kept
  • have kept
  • has kept
  • have kept
  • have kept
  • have kept
The present perfect tense is for an action that began in the past. (Often, the action continues into the present.)
  • have been keeping
  • have been keeping
  • has been keeping
  • have been keeping
  • have been keeping
  • have been keeping
The present perfect progressive tense is for a continuous activity that began in the past and continues into the present (or finished very recently).

Future Tenses

PersonSimple FutureFuture Progressive TenseFuture Perfect TenseFuture Perfect Progressive Tense
  • I
  • you
  • he/she/it
  • we
  • you
  • they
  • will keep
  • will keep
  • will keep
  • will keep
  • will keep
  • will keep
The simple future tense is for an action that will occur in the future.
  • will be keeping
  • will be keeping
  • will be keeping
  • will be keeping
  • will be keeping
  • will be keeping
The future progressive tense is for an ongoing action that will occur in the future.
  • will have kept
  • will have kept
  • will have kept
  • will have kept
  • will have kept
  • will have kept
The future perfect tense is for an action that will have been completed at some point in the future.
  • will have been keeping
  • will have been keeping
  • will have been keeping
  • will have been keeping
  • will have been keeping
  • will have been keeping
The future perfect progressive tense is for an ongoing action that will be completed at some specified time in the future.

Most Common Irregular Verbs

The two most common irregular verbs in English are "be" and "have." These pages give more details about these two verbs: Here are the next 10 most common irregular verbs in English:

Most Common Irregular Verbs

The two most common irregular verbs in English are "be" and "have." These pages give more details about these two verbs: Here are the next 10 most common irregular verbs in English:
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This page was written by Craig Shrives.