keep a diary

Meaning

To regularly write down your personal thoughts, feelings, and daily events in a private book or digital journal.

Examples

• She has kept a diary since she was ten years old.

  She has kept a diary since she was ten years old.

• Keeping a diary is a great way to clear your mind before bed.

  Keeping a diary is a great way to clear your mind before bed.

• I tried to keep a diary, but I always forgot to write in it after a few days.

  I tried to keep a diary, but I always forgot to write in it after a few days.

• He kept a secret diary during his travels across South America.

  He kept a secret diary during his travels across South America.

• If you keep a diary, you can look back and see how much you've grown.

  If you keep a diary, you can look back and see how much you've grown.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I write a diary every night.

  ✓ I keep a diary.

  'Keep a diary' refers to the habit/activity, while 'write in a diary' refers to the physical action of writing. 'Write a diary' is unnatural.

• ✗ She keeps a dairy to record her thoughts.

  ✓ She keeps a diary to record her thoughts.

  'Dairy' refers to milk products; 'diary' is the book for writing. This is a very common spelling mistake.

Related Expressions

Practice

• My therapist suggested that I ___ to track my mood changes.

  💡 Start writing down daily thoughts regularly.

  Show answer

  keep a diary

• He has ___ for years, filling dozens of notebooks with his sketches and memories.

  💡 Maintained a daily record (present perfect).

  Show answer

  kept a diary