Cool MateKeep an eye on vs Monitor
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Keep an eye on
Top 2,000 (common)
Monitor
Top 2,000 (common)B2noun
| Keep an eye on | Monitor | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //kiːp ən aɪ ɒn//🇺🇸 //kip ən aɪ ɑn// | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈmɒnɪtə(r)/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈmɑːnɪtər/"]/ |
| Meaning | to watch or pay attention to someone or something | A screen used to see pictures or text from a computer. |
| Example | Can you keep an eye on the kids while I cook? | The teacher will monitor the students' progress throughout the semester. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | - | B2 |
| Part of speech | noun | |
| Collocations | keep an eye on someone, keep an eye on something, keep a close eye on | colour/color, digital, CCTV, on a/the monitor, baby, foetal/fetal, heart, detect something, display something, show something, hooked up to a monitor, UN, ceasefire, election, UN, ceasefire, election |
| Antonyms | ignore, neglect | ignore, neglect |
| Common mistakes | Confusing with 'watch over', which means to protect instead of just monitor., Using in overly formal situations where simpler phrases would work better. | Confused with 'minotor', a common misspelling., Using 'monitor' as a verb without an object, e.g., 'I will monitor' instead of 'I will monitor the situation.' |
| Usage notes | Use in contexts where you need to monitor someone or something. More casual than 'observe'. | Use 'monitor' when referring to computer screens or when talking about observing something continuously. More formal contexts may use it to describe supervision or tracking. |
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Frequently asked questions: Keep an eye on vs Monitor
What's the difference between Keep an eye on and Monitor?
Keep an eye on: to watch or pay attention to someone or something Monitor: A screen used to see pictures or text from a computer.
Can you show an example of each?
Keep an eye on: Can you keep an eye on the kids while I cook? Monitor: The teacher will monitor the students' progress throughout the semester.
Can I use Keep an eye on and Monitor interchangeably?
Not always. Keep an eye on and Monitor are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.