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Rommel Posted 13 years ago
Grammar

Any difference between “Keep smiling” and “Keep on smiling”?

I love to listen to Various Artists’ all-time favorite hit “That’s What Friends Are For,” the chorus of which says: “Keep smilin’/Keep shinin’,/knowin’ you can always count on me for sure.” There are times , however, when I hear people (who have conversations) say “Keep on smiling,” with the preposition “on” following the verb. What could be the difference between “Keep smiling” and “Keep on smiling”?
  

Top answer

Keep smilin' has three syllables. Keep on smiling has four syllables. The songwriter needed three, not four, syllables to fit the music.

— AlpheccaStars

  • Keep smilin' has three syllables.
  • Keep on smiling has four syllables.
  • The songwriter needed three, not four, syllables to fit the music.
  • That's all.
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4 Answers
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Keep smilin' has three syllables.
Keep on smiling has four syllables.

The songwriter needed three, not four, syllables to fit the music.
That's all.
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What then is the difference between "Keep smiling" and "Keep on smiling"? None at all?
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AS has just given you the only difference.
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I'm talking about the meaning of the two given sentences. How do they differ in meaning? Well, I guess none.
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