ENGLISH
REFERENCE

stick to sth

phr. v..
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford

phr. v.. to continue doing something as planned and not change to something else.

phr. v.. to adhere to a predetermined plan, rule, or agreement without deviation; implies persistence despite difficulty or temptation to change.


SIMPLE

You should stick to your diet if you want results.

CONTEXTUAL

Even though the project became difficult, the team decided to stick to the original schedule.

COMPLEX

The witness was advised to stick to the facts rather than offering personal opinions during the cross-examination.

Particles
to
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
stick + to + object
Usage

the object is usually a plan, a rule, a promise, or a specific subject.

Teaching tip

contrast with 'keep to' (very similar) and 'follow'; 'stick to' often implies a choice to stay loyal to a path when it would be easy to quit.

Pitfall

He sticks to his promises always.He always sticks to his promises.the verb 'stick' must be conjugated correctly for the subject and tense, and the preposition 'to' must follow it immediately before the object.

© 2026 English Reference