What part of speech is “kept”

kept is also used as an adjective to describe something that is well-maintained and under control. This usage implies that someone is paying attention to something and consistently taking care of it.

when using kept as an adjective, the emphasis is on the active upkeep of something through frequent maintenance and/or management.

1. We had a kept garden full of beautiful roses.

2. The kept lawn was admired by all.

keep in mind that when using kept as an adjective, the focus should be on the frequent and careful upkeep of something. Therefore, this usage does not simply indicate that something is well-maintained, but that that condition was actively reached and maintained through effort and care.

kept is the past tense and past participle of the verb ‘keep’, which means to possess and maintain in one’s care or custody.

when using kept as a verb, the subject of the verb must have been able to exercise ownership or control over something; the verb is always used in forms such as ‘kept’, ‘has kept’, or ‘had kept’. When used as a verb, ‘kept’ denotes action that has taken place in the past, and usually includes the idea of holding onto something for a certain period of time. For example, ‘I kept the book for five days’.

1. She kept the secret for years.

2. I had kept a diary since I was fifteen.

3. We kept the puppy in the backyard.

remember to add the appropriate auxiliary verb when using ‘kept’; for example, ‘kept’ is used in the past tense, so the auxiliary verb ‘have’ or ‘had’ will need to come before it. Avoid using forms like ‘keeps’ or ‘keeping’ when ‘kept’ is called for.