在人教版初中英语教材中，keep是要求学生必须掌握的四会词之一，现将其常见用法归纳小结如下，以利于大家正确地使用该词。
一、用作及物动词
1. 意为"保存；保留；保持；保守"。如：
could you keep these letters for me, please? 你能替我保存这些信吗？
i'll keep a seat for you.我给你留个座位。
it can help to keep vegetables, fruit and meat for a long time in hot summer. 在炎热的夏天，它有助于蔬菜、水果和肉类长时间保鲜。
can you keep a secret? 你能保守秘密吗？
2. 意为"照顾；养活"等。如：
she kept her sister for a week while her sister was ill.她妹妹有病时，她照看她了一个星期。
i have a family to keep.我得养活一家人。
3. 意为"留下；不必还"。如：
you can keep the pen if you like it.你要是喜欢就把钢笔留下吧。
keep the change.不用找零钱了。
4. 意为"遵守；维护"。如：
everyone must keep the rules. 人人必须遵守规章制度。
the teacher is keeping order in class.老师正在课堂上维持秩序。
5. 意为"售；卖"。如：
the shop keeps everything you need.那家商店里出售的东西应有尽有。
he keeps everything you will drink.他出售你想喝的各种饮料。
6. 意为"记(日记、帐等)"。如：
she keeps a diary every day.她坚持每天记日记。
he keeps exact accounts of the money he spends and a diary of the events of his holidays.他详细地记载他所花的钱数和假期中所发生的事情。
7. 意为"使……保持某种(状态、位置或动作等)"。这时要在keep的宾语后接补足语，构成复合宾语。其中宾语补足语通常由形容词、副词、介词短语、现在分词和过去分词等充当。如：
we should keep our classroom clean and tidy.(形容词)我们应保持教室整洁干净。
you'd better keep the child away from the fire.(副词)你最好让孩子离火远一点。
the bad weather keeps us inside the house.(介词短语)坏天气使我们不能出门。
don't keep me waiting for long.(现在分词)别让我等太久。
the other students in the class keep their eyes closed.(过去分词)班上其他同学都闭着眼睛。
二、用作连系动词
构成系表结构：keep＋表语，意为"保持，继续(处于某种状态)"。其中表语可用形容词、副词、介词短语等充当。如：
you must look after yourself and keep healthy.(形容词)你必须照顾好自己，保持身体健康。
keep off the grass.(副词)请勿践踏草地。
traffic in britain keeps to the left.(介词短语)英国的交通是靠左边行驶的。
注意：一般情况下，keep后接形容词较为多见。再如：
she knew she must keep calm.她知道她必须保持镇静。
please keep silent in class.课堂上请保持安静。
三、与介词或副词搭配，构成动词短语
1.keep away意为"(使)离开；(使)不接近"，其后常接介词from。如：
would you keep your dog away from my boy, please? 请把狗拉得离我孩子远点好吗？
keep everybody away from the accident.人人远离事故！
2.keep back意为"阻止；留在后面"。如：
she sat down quietly, but she couldn't keep
back her tears.她静静地坐下来，却忍不住流下了眼泪。
3.keep together意为"在一起；动作协调"。如：
keep together, please.请聚在一起。
the eight men kept together during the boat race as though they were one.赛船时，这8个人动作协调，好像一个人似的。
4.keep up意为"持续；使不低落"。如：
the noise kept up all night.噪音整夜持续着。
to keep your strength up, eat well and get enough sleep.为了保持力气，要吃好、睡足。
5.keep up with意为"跟上；和……来往"。如：
i'm trying my best to keep up with the others in class.我正在设法赶上班里的其他人。
do you still keep up with tom? 你和汤姆还有联系吗？
6.keep...in mind意为"把……记在心里"。如：
the teacher asked us to keep these sentences in mind.老师要我们把这些句子记在心里。
四、含keep的常用句型
1.keep doing sth. 意为"继续干某事"，表示不间断地持续干某事，keep后不能接不定式或表示静止状态的v-ing形式，而必须接延续性的动词。如：
he kept working all day, because he wanted to finish the work on time.他整天都在不停地工作，因为他想准时完成工作。
keep passing the ball to each other, and you'll be ok.坚持互相传球，你们就行。
2.keep on doing sth. 意为"持续做某事"。如：
the pupil kept on asking me the same question.这个学生不断地问我同一个问题。
i kept on thinking about the match in the afternoon.我总是想起下午的那场比赛。
3. keep...from doing sth.意为"阻止/防止……做某事"。如：
the heavy snow kept us from going out.大雪使我们不能出去。
