# carry on with

CEFR B1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/carry-on-with
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to continue doing something that you have already started.

For teachers: 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.

## Pitfalls

- Not "Please carry on with to read." but "Please carry on with reading." — the preposition 'with' must be followed by a noun or a gerund, not an infinitive verb.

## Usage notes

- 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.