Name: English Tutor Nick P Verb Phrase (116) Keep At Something
Uploaded: 2019-06-29T13:43:55.000Z
Duration: 2 min 17 s
Description: Thousands of YouTube videos with English-Chinese subtitles! Now you can learn to understand native speakers, expand your vocabulary, and improve your pronunciation...

Hi this is Tutor Nick P and this is Verb Phrase 116. The verb phrase today is

to keep at something. All right. Let's take a look here. We actually have two

meanings. Here's the first one. If someone keeps at something,  he or she continues

to do something,  even though it is difficult or hard work. Or the second one

it's more like somebody else forcing you.  Here if we say to keep somebody at it. So to

make or force someone to work hard and not allow them to stop. So you're looking

at it from two different perspectives.  All right. Anyway,  let's look at the first

example here. If you want to be  fluent in that language,

you must keep at it. So you must continue to do it. You must continue to put in

this hard work and keep trying this continuous effort. It takes a lot of

continuous effort to improve that's what we mean. Or number two if you don't keep

at it you will never improve. That's just the way that we say it about if. This

could be about anything. Or number three how much longer will you keep at that

project ? Sometimes,  yeah you could say it in this way just mean how much longer

you going to be doing it ? Or how much longer are you going to be continuing with this ?

Yes.  I need you to start this new project as soon as you get the chance. Okay,  good.

And the last one is probably more likely to make or force someone to do something.  I

told her that she cannot quit. If she doesn't keep at her lessons. All right.

Now  this may be school but this might be something else like piano lessons or

something the mother is paying for she wants maybe she already put a lot of

money into this she doesn't want it to just quit and give up.  I will cut her

allowance. So you're trying to kind of push her or force her to stay with this.

So you're trying to make somebody keep at it. You know to continue with it. So

continue to put in a lot of effort for it.

Okay. Anyway,  I hope you got it . I hope it's clear. Thank you for your time.