kept being

USAGE SUMMARY

"kept being" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
Example sentence: She kept being late to class, so eventually her teacher asked her not to come back.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

'Socialism' kept being defined downwards".

The New Yorker

I kept being woken by their singing.

The New Yorker

The writer kept being brushed aside.

The New Yorker

And he kept being turned down.

The New York Times

Already drinking heavily, he kept being expelled.

The New York Times - Arts

"Spree just kept being aggressive.

The New York Times - Sports

But it kept being mysterious.

The New York Times - Magazine

But then the bars kept being raised.

The Guardian - Business

But the completion date kept being delayed.

The New York Times

But he kept being interrupted by Cody.

The New York Times

"I remember your knee kept being weird.

The Guardian - Film

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing, ensure that the subject of the sentence is something that logically can continue in a state or action.

Common error

Avoid using "kept being" repeatedly in a single paragraph or complex sentence structure. Vary your sentence structure by using simple sentences or rephrasing with alternatives like "continued to be" or restructuring the sentence to avoid repetitive use.

Linguistic Context

Kept being functions as an auxiliary verb phrase indicating the continuation of a state or action over time. Ludwig confirms its grammatical correctness and usability. The auxiliary verb "kept" combines with the present participle "being" to express an ongoing or repeated process, as seen in the examples provided by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

79%

Science

11%

Formal & Business

3%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Academia

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

Kept being is a versatile phrase used to indicate the continuation of an action or state over time. Grammatically sound and widely accepted, it appears most frequently in news and media but is appropriate across various registers. Ludwig's analysis confirms its grammatical correctness and provides ample examples of its use in context. While it's a common phrase, writers should avoid overuse and consider alternative expressions to maintain sentence variety. In summary, "kept being" is a reliable way to express persistence, though it benefits from mindful and varied application.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

continued to be

Emphasizes the uninterrupted nature of the state or action.

remained

Focuses on the persistence of a state, often implying a lack of change.

persisted in being

Highlights the determined continuation of a state, even against resistance.

was consistently

Stresses the regularity and predictability of the state or action.

habitually was

Underscores the habitual or customary nature of the action or state.

regularly

Implies actions done or happening at fixed intervals.

incessantly

Conveys that something has been doing or happening at great frequency.

incessantly was

Conveys that something has been doing or happening at great frequency.

repeatedly was

Indicates the recurrence of an event, emphasizing its repetitive nature.

was always

Emphasizes the constant presence of a state or action without interruption.

FAQs

How can I use "kept being" in a sentence?

"Kept being" is used to describe an ongoing action or state. For example, "She "kept being" interrupted during her presentation."

What are some alternatives to "kept being"?

Alternatives include "continued to be", "remained", or "persisted in being", depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is "kept being" formal or informal?

"Kept being" is generally neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. Its suitability depends more on the surrounding vocabulary and sentence structure.

What's the difference between "kept being" and "continued to be"?

While similar, ""continued to be"" often implies a smoother, less interrupted progression, whereas ""kept being"" can suggest repeated starts and stops or unexpected interruptions.