Phrasal verb
carry on with
Definition
phrasal verb. to continue doing something that you have already started.
phrasal verb. to resume or continue an activity, task, or process, often after an interruption; functions as a three-part phrasal verb requiring a direct object.
Examples
“You should carry on with your work.”
“After the fire alarm stopped ringing, the students were told to carry on with their exam.”
“Despite the significant budget cuts and loss of personnel, the research team managed to carry on with their clinical trials.”
Examples
simple
“You should carry on with your work.”
contextual
“After the fire alarm stopped ringing, the students were told to carry on with their exam.”
complex
“Despite the significant budget cuts and loss of personnel, the research team managed to carry on with their clinical trials.”
Usage
usually followed by a noun or a gerund (-ing form) representing the activity.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'carry on' (intransitive) and 'continue' (more formal); 'carry on with' is very common in British English for daily tasks.
Pitfall
Please carry on with to read.
Please carry on with reading.
the preposition 'with' must be followed by a noun or a gerund, not an infinitive verb.
Phrasal verb
Particles
on with
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
carry + on + with + object