Language Activator – Keep

Keep/save/hold on to/ not part with/retain

Keep

(transitive verb)

.My mother kept all the letters my father ever wrote her

Save

(transitive verb)

to keep something that you could throw away, because you might want to use it in the future

.When mom died we found a box full of old newspaper clippings she had saved

hold on to/hang on to

(transitive phrasal verb)

informal to keep something, especially because you might need it or it might become valuable at a later time

.Hold on to your ticket – you’ll need it to get out of the station

not part with

(verb phrase)

if someone will not part with something, they refuse to sell it or give it to anyone else because they like it so much

.We offered her $200 for the lamp, but she didn’t want to part with it

retain

(transitive verb)

formal to keep something, and not sell it, give it away, or get rid of it

.The treaty would not allow any country to produce, acquire, or retain chemical weapons

:Practice

:Fill in the blanks with appropriate words

.N1. It is suggested that you ————- copies of the documents for at least three years

N2. Over the years he’d become very attached to his old car and wouldn’t ————- with it for the world

.N3. You should ————- on to that painting. It might be worth something one day

N4. There’s no point in ————- on to the baby clothes if you’re not going to have more kids

.N5. Don’t throw the wrapping paper away – I’m going to ————- it and use it again

.N6. I’ve decided to ————- my car even though it’s getting old

.N7. I ————- all my tickets and boarding passes as souvenirs

?N8. Why do you want to ————- all these old magazines

:Answers

N1. retain

N2. part

N3. hang

N4. hanging

N5. save

N6. keep

N7. keep

N8. keep