we still kept

USAGE SUMMARY

"we still kept" is a perfectly fine and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it any time you want to express that something was maintained or continued despite some external circumstances or events. For example, "Even after the tornado damaged our house, we still kept our spirits up."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

13 human-written examples

But we still kept the payments up because it seemed like a winnable race.

The New York Times - Sports

"Even when we had to play with 10 men at the end we still kept the ball well," Martínez said.

The Guardian - Sport

Brenton Walters, Communications Director, Vancouver Southsiders While we didn't play a great game against Chivas, we still kept a clean sheet and got the win on a nice goal from captain Jay DeMerit, for our first road win in MLS.

The Guardian - Sport

At one stage Jean was off, Jesse [Kriel] was on, Victor was off, Patrick [Lambie] was at 10, Handré [Pollard] was at 12, but we still kept them out.

The Guardian - Sport

But we still kept going with that.

TechCrunch

In this, our fifth annual survey, we still kept a careful eye on income and job growth.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

46 human-written examples

We still keep in touch.

Independent

We still keep those internal".

The New York Times - Sports

We still keep it in a drawer.

The New York Times

"We still keep things very light-hearted.

Independent

We still keep our options open.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "we still kept" to emphasize the continuation of an action or state despite an obstacle or change. This highlights resilience and determination.

Common error

Avoid using "we still kept" when the 'still' is redundant. Ensure that there's a clear sense of something continuing despite a change or challenge. For example, avoid saying 'We still kept the book' when there was no reason to get rid of it.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "we still kept" functions as a verbal phrase indicating the continuation of an action or state despite a change or obstacle. This is supported by the Ludwig examples, showcasing its use in various contexts to emphasize persistence.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

61%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

9%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "we still kept" is a grammatically sound and common way to express the continuation of an action or state, even amidst changing circumstances. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's readily usable in writing and speech. It finds frequent usage in News & Media and Science, indicating broad applicability. To ensure correct usage, focus on the 'despite' element of its meaning, avoiding redundancy when there's no clear reason for the action to have stopped. Consider using alternative phrases such as "we continued to maintain" for a slight shift in emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

we never stopped preserving

Emphasizes the fact that there was never a moment of interruption.

we continued to maintain

Emphasizes the act of maintaining something over time.

we persisted in upholding

Highlights the determination to uphold something despite challenges.

we uninterruptedly protected

Highlights the uniterrupted nature of the protection. Slightly more formal.

we nonetheless sustained

Stresses the sustaining of something despite an opposing factor.

we continually conserved

Focuses on conservation of something over a period of time.

we carried on preserving

Focuses on the act of preserving something by carrying on.

we proceeded to conserve

Highlights the continuation of conserving something over a period of time.

we held onto

A more informal way to express keeping something, often emotionally or figuratively.

we went on to maintain

Focuses on the continuation of maintaining something. Slightly more informal.

FAQs

How can I use "we still kept" in a sentence?

You can use "we still kept" to indicate that an action or state continued despite a change or difficulty. For example, "Even though sales declined, we still kept investing in research and development".

What are some alternatives to "we still kept"?

Alternatives include "we continued to maintain", "we persisted in upholding", or "we nonetheless sustained" depending on the desired emphasis.

Is it grammatically correct to say "we still kept"?

Yes, "we still kept" is grammatically correct. It uses the past tense of "keep" to indicate a continued action or state in the past.

What's the difference between "we still keep" and "we still kept"?

"We still keep" refers to a present or ongoing action, while "we still kept" refers to an action that continued in the past. For example, "We still keep in touch with our old friends" (present) versus "We still kept in touch even after they moved" (past).