Cool MateKeep watch vs Monitor
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Keep watch
Top 3,000 (common)
Monitor
Top 2,000 (common)B2noun
Most common: Monitor
| Keep watch | Monitor | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //kiːp wɒtʃ//🇺🇸 //kiːp wɑtʃ// | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈmɒnɪtə(r)/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈmɑːnɪtər/"]/ |
| Meaning | To stay alert or pay attention, especially for danger. | A screen used to see pictures or text from a computer. |
| Example | He was asked to keep watch over the campsite at night. | The teacher will monitor the students' progress throughout the semester. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 3,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | - | B2 |
| Part of speech | noun | |
| Collocations | keep watch over, keep a close watch, keep watch for, keep watch at night, keep vigilant watch | 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 |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'keep an eye on', which suggests a less formal level of vigilance., Using inappropriately in passive voice, as 'watch kept' sounds unnatural. | 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 | Used when monitoring a situation or being vigilant. Appropriate in both formal and informal contexts when discussing safety or alertness. | 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 watch vs Monitor
What's the difference between Keep watch and Monitor?
Keep watch: To stay alert or pay attention, especially for danger. Monitor: A screen used to see pictures or text from a computer.
Which is more common: Keep watch and Monitor?
Monitor is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Keep watch: He was asked to keep watch over the campsite at night. Monitor: The teacher will monitor the students' progress throughout the semester.
Can I use Keep watch and Monitor interchangeably?
Not always. Keep watch 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.