Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[learner1]

Hello,

I wonder if 'keep up with' and 'keep pace with' are interchangeable in the following examples, could someone please help me to check these?

Could we use 'keep up with' instead of 'keep pace with' in part of A?
A:
1.He walked so fast that I couldn't keep pace with him.
2.Salaries have not always kept pace with inflation.
3.The company is struggling to keep pace with changes in the market.
4.The supply of materials cannot keep pace with demand.

Could we use 'keep pace with' instead of 'keep up with' in part of B?
B:
1.I can�t keep up with all the changes.
2.She likes to keep up with the latest fashions.
3.Jack's having trouble keeping up with the rest of the class.
4.Food production is not keeping up with population growth.

Thank you very much.

[myprofe]

They are interchangeable when the meaning is "to move forward with; to maintain the same speed; to not fall behind." However, when the meaning is "to adapt to new times, new ideas, the latest discoveries" without referring to the speed at which these changes are occurring then "keep up with" is the best choice. Having said that I will give my opinion.

A:
1.He walked so fast that I couldn't keep pace with him. (Both)
2.Salaries have not always kept pace with inflation. (Both)
3.The company is struggling to keep pace with changes in the market. (Both)
4.The supply of materials cannot keep pace with demand. (Both)

B:
1.I can�t keep up with all the changes. (No change)
2.She likes to keep up with the latest fashions. (No change)
3.Jack's having trouble keeping up with the rest of the class. (Both)
4.Food production is not keeping up with population growth. (Both)
_________________
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[learner1]

Hello myprofe,

That's a great explanation! Thank you very much.