keep a promise

Meaning

This phrase means to do what you previously declared you would do. It is about maintaining trust by not breaking your word. It is used in both personal and professional contexts to show reliability.

Examples

• If you make a commitment to your kids, you should always keep a promise.

  If you make a commitment to your kids, you should always keep a promise.

• I promised to help her move this weekend, and I intend to keep my promise.

  I promised to help her move this weekend, and I intend to keep my promise.

• It is hard to trust someone who cannot keep a promise.

  It is hard to trust someone who cannot keep a promise.

• She kept her promise and sent the report before Friday.

  She kept her promise and sent the report before Friday.

• Thank you for keeping your promise; it means a lot to me.

  Thank you for keeping your promise; it means a lot to me.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ He made a promise but he didn't hold it.

  ✓ He made a promise but he didn't keep it.

  Learners often translate literally from other languages and use 'hold' instead of 'keep'. In English, the standard collocation is always 'keep a promise'.

• ✗ I will do my promise to help you.

  ✓ I will keep my promise to help you.

  You do not 'do' a promise. You 'make' a promise (create it) and 'keep' a promise (fulfill it).

Related Expressions

Practice

• He is very reliable; he always ___.

  💡 Use the correct form of 'keep a promise' with the possessive pronoun 'his'.

  Show answer

  keeps his promise

• It is important to ___ if you want people to trust you.

  💡 Fulfill what you said you would do.

  Show answer

  keep a promise