if this keeps up

USAGE SUMMARY

"if this keeps up" is a correct and usable part of a sentence in written English.
It can be used to refer to a situation that has been happening and that one expects to continue. For example: "If this keeps up, we may have to start rationing food."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sports

General Conversation

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

56 human-written examples

"If this keeps up, people will turn against the government.

The New York Times

"If this keeps up I'm going to emigrate," he says.

The Guardian

"We're never going to get there if this keeps up," he said.

The New Yorker

Swisher's camaraderie factor could sail off the charts if this keeps up.

The New York Times - Sports

We'll have to ask you to leave if this keeps up".

The New Yorker

If this keeps up, the city of New York can apply for a patent.

The New York Times

And if this keeps up, it will lead to the economic deterioration of the country".

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

4 human-written examples

By day five my tailbone was throbbing and I told myself, just as I had the day before, that if this kept up I was going to see a doctor.

The New Yorker

"But if this situation keeps up, we will all become volunteer fedayeen," referring to Mr. Hussein's most loyal militia.

The New York Times

If this trend keeps up, planning for future resources and technologies will become much easier and more manageable".

The Guardian - Tech

If this engagement keeps up, Shopkick will reach 1 billion product views within 12 weeks.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "if this keeps up" to express concern, anticipation, or warning about the continuation of a current situation. It's effective when you want to imply potential consequences if things don't change.

Common error

Avoid using "if this keeps up" when referring to a single, isolated incident. This phrase is best suited for ongoing trends or repeated occurrences.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "if this keeps up" functions as a conditional clause, setting a condition upon which a subsequent action or consequence depends. It introduces a hypothetical scenario where a current trend or situation continues, as confirmed by Ludwig AI.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

73%

Sports

13%

Wiki

3%

Less common in

Science

2%

Formal & Business

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "if this keeps up" is a versatile conditional phrase used to express concern or anticipation about the continuation of a current trend. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically sound and widely used, particularly in news and media contexts. Related phrases offer variations in formality and emphasis, while best practices suggest using it for ongoing situations rather than isolated incidents. The phrase serves as a cautionary note, prompting consideration of potential consequences if the situation remains unchanged.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

if this continues

Replaces "keeps up" with the more formal "continues", maintaining the conditional aspect.

if this persists

Substitutes "keeps up" with "persists", suggesting a more negative or unwanted continuation.

should this continue

Uses "should" to express a more hypothetical or uncertain continuation of the current situation.

if things stay like this

Offers a more informal way of expressing the same conditional concern about the present circumstances.

if the current trend continues

More explicitly identifies the "this" as a trend, making the conditional statement more specific.

assuming this continues

Replaces the conditional "if" with "assuming", emphasizing the assumption that the current situation will not change.

provided this continues

Uses "provided" to introduce a condition that must be met for a certain outcome to occur.

in the event this continues

Introduces a more formal and somewhat less likely scenario than a simple "if" statement.

if the situation doesn't improve

Shifts the focus to a lack of improvement in the current situation, implying a negative expectation.

unless this changes

Indicates a necessary change to avoid a potential negative outcome.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "if this keeps up" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, consider using phrases such as "if this continues" or "should this persist".

What's a more casual alternative to "if this keeps up"?

In more casual settings, you could say "if things stay like this" or "if this goes on".

How do I use "if this keeps up" in a sentence?

You can use "if this keeps up" to express concern or warn about potential consequences. For example: "If this keeps up, we'll have to start rationing supplies."

Is it correct to say "if this keep up" instead of "if this keeps up"?

No, "if this keep up" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "if this keeps up", as it requires the third-person singular present simple form of the verb "keep".