it kept raining

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it kept raining" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a situation where rain continued over a period of time. Example: "Despite our plans for a picnic, it kept raining all day, forcing us to stay indoors."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

It seemed fitting that it kept raining Tuesday.

The Washington Post

"As it kept raining I thought, 'This is going to be a disaster, there's going to be a landslide,' " she said.

The New York Times

But it kept raining and raining, and finally he crawled into bed and went to sleep, the only sound the steady patter of raindrops pelting the window.

The Washington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

"If it keeps raining like this, it would be great".

The New York Times - Sports

"If it keeps raining it just gets worse and it was like playing on a beach.

Independent

In addition to "Ringu," he had directed "Dark Water," a horror film about an apartment building where it keeps raining indoors, which Lee sold for five hundred and fifty thousand dollars.

The New Yorker

We discuss wet day plans: steam train to the Lakeside aquarium; Holker Hall, with motor museum (optional extra) and lunch opportunity; a steam train to Lakeside, from Hatherthwaite, this time with steamer boat trip on to Bowness; if it keeps raining, I don't think the Beatrix Potter centre is too far away.

The Guardian - Travel

It keeps raining and people keep comming.

Huffington Post

He says, 'Papo, go put it back in the water because it keeps raining.' " See video of the mastodon tooth at KENS 5 by clicking here.

HuffPost

It just kept raining and raining and raining".

The New York Times

And it's expected to keep raining for another few days.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing weather conditions, use "it kept raining" to simply and directly communicate that the rain continued for an extended period. It's straightforward and easily understood.

Common error

While "it kept raining" is acceptable, avoid using it excessively in a single piece of writing. Vary your descriptions of the rain with alternatives like "the rain persisted" or "it continued to pour" to maintain reader engagement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it kept raining" functions as a descriptive statement about the weather. Grammatically, it employs a pronoun ("it"), the past tense of the verb "keep", and the present participle of the verb "rain", indicating a continuous action in the past. Ludwig confirms its correctness.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Wiki

34%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "it kept raining" is a grammatically sound and understandable phrase used to describe the continuation of rainfall. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and utility. Though common, variations can enrich your writing by preventing redundancy, with examples showing that the phrase is primarily found in news and media contexts, along with general online content. This phrase serves to straightforwardly communicate the persistent nature of the rain.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it continued to rain

Replaces "kept" with "continued", emphasizing the ongoing nature of the rain.

the rain persisted

Uses a more formal verb, "persisted", to convey the rain's continuous presence.

the rain wouldn't stop

Emphasizes the lack of cessation of the rain.

it rained incessantly

Replaces the phrase with an adverb emphasizing the continuous nature of the rain.

rain was unrelenting

Uses "unrelenting" to describe the continuous and forceful nature of the rain.

the downpour persisted

Substitutes "rain" with "downpour" to describe heavy rain, while maintaining the idea of persistence.

it just wouldn't let up

An idiomatic expression emphasizing the unrelenting nature of the rain.

the heavens opened and stayed open

Figurative language indicating continuous and heavy rain.

it poured without pause

Emphasizes the intensity and continuity of the rainfall.

the skies wept continually

A more poetic expression to denote continuous rain.

FAQs

What does "it kept raining" mean?

The phrase "it kept raining" means that the rain continued for a period of time, without stopping.

What can I say instead of "it kept raining"?

You can use alternatives like "it continued to rain", "the rain persisted", or "it poured without pause" depending on the context.

Is "it kept raining" grammatically correct?

Yes, "it kept raining" is grammatically correct. It uses the past tense of "keep" followed by the present participle of "rain", indicating a continuous action in the past.

How can I use "it kept raining" in a sentence?

You can use "it kept raining" to describe an ongoing condition in the past, such as "Despite our plans, "it kept raining" all day, so we stayed inside."