continue

continue — verb

1. to happen or go on without stopping, or to remain involved in an activity over a

1.動詞及物 / 不及物B1
釋義

to happen or go on without stopping, or to remain involved in an activity over a long period without a break

例句

Saira continued working at the lab even after the power went out.

continue + verb-ing for ongoing activity

The rain continued all morning, so the football match was cancelled.

intransitive: situation continues without object

同義詞
  • keep on

    more informal; often implies persistence despite difficulty

  • carry on

    slightly more conversational than continue; can suggest determination

  • persist

    more formal and emphatic, often with a sense of determination

反義詞
  • stop

    direct opposite; to cease doing something

  • pause

    temporary break rather than permanent end

文法句型

continue + verb-ing (same subject)

continue + to-infinitive

continue + noun phrase as object

用法筆記

In this sense, continue can be followed by either a gerund (verb-ing) or a to-infinitive with little difference in meaning. The gerund form is slightly more common in everyday speech.

常見錯誤

❌Saira continued to working
✅Saira continued working or Saira continued to work
💡after 'continue', use either the gerund or the to-infinitive, not a bare infinitive or a mixed form.

2. to pick up and resume an activity that was stopped, starting again from where it

2.動詞及物 / 不及物B1
釋義

to pick up and resume an activity that was stopped, starting again from where it left off

例句

After a short break for coffee, Ziad continued reading the report.

continue + verb-ing after a pause

Sivan paused to answer the phone and then continued with her cooking.

continue with + noun phrase after interruption

同義詞
  • resume

    more formal; used especially in official or academic contexts

  • pick up where one left off

    idiomatic phrase; more conversational and descriptive

  • renew

    suggests starting again with fresh energy after a longer pause

反義詞

文法句型

continue + verb-ing (resuming)

continue + to-infinitive

continue with + noun phrase

用法筆記

This sense strongly implies that an activity was happening, stopped for a while, and then started again. The pause can be short (a few seconds) or long (months or years). Distinguish from sense 1, which describes something happening without any pause.

常見錯誤

❌Let us to continue the discussion
✅Let us continue the discussion
💡'continue' is not followed by 'to' when a noun phrase comes directly after it.
❌We continued after stopping' (too vague to show the pause-and-resume meaning)
✅We continued the game after the rain stopped
💡make the pause explicit.

3. to stay in a particular situation, position, or physical place, without moving a

3.動詞不及物B2
釋義

to stay in a particular situation, position, or physical place, without moving away or changing condition

例句

Ife continued as team leader even after the company was bought out.

continue as + role — staying in a position

Isabela continued in her teaching job for another decade before retiring.

continue in + job/situation

同義詞
  • remain

    more formal; no difference in core meaning

  • stay

    more common in everyday speech; less formal

  • persist

    implies staying despite difficulty or opposition

反義詞
  • leave

    to go away from a place or position

  • change

    to move to a different condition or role

文法句型

continue + as + role/position

continue + in + situation/place

continue + adjective (staying in a state)

用法筆記

In this sense, continue does NOT take a direct object. It is often followed by as (for a role), in (for a place or situation), or an adjective describing a state. Do not confuse with sense 4, which is about physical movement forward rather than staying still.

常見錯誤

❌She continued as a teacher after retirement' (unclear if this means she stayed or kept working)
✅She continued teaching after retirement' for the ongoing-activity sense, or 'She continued as a teacher after retirement' for the remain-in-position sense
💡the meaning shifts based on context.
❌Arjun continued the factory' (sounds like he kept the factory running, not that he stayed there)
✅Arjun continued at the factory' for staying in place.

4. to keep moving forward along the same route, without turning, stopping, or chang

4.動詞不及物B1
釋義

to keep moving forward along the same route, without turning, stopping, or changing direction

例句

Ingrid continued along the coastal path until she reached the lighthouse.

continue along + route

Ayana continued past the train station and turned right at the pharmacy.

continue past + landmark

同義詞
  • proceed

    more formal; often used in instructions or official contexts

  • go on

    phrasal verb; more conversational and widely used

  • carry on

    common in British English; slightly informal

反義詞
  • stop

    to halt movement entirely

  • turn back

    to go in the opposite direction

文法句型

continue + direction preposition (along, past, down, through, towards)

continue + distance measurement

用法筆記

This sense is always intransitive and is typically followed by a prepositional phrase showing direction or a measurement of distance. The subject can be a person walking or driving, or a physical feature such as a road, path, or river. Distinguish from sense 3, where the meaning is staying still — this sense is about advancing.

常見錯誤

❌Continue on the road' (redundant — 'on' is unnecessary when 'continue' already implies moving forward)
✅Continue along the road' or simply 'Continue the road' is not standard
💡use a direction preposition.