Hi Carlo, First of all, the two phrases are very similar. Have a look at these definitions (just copy and paste into your browser): http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20line%20with and http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20keeping%20with The phrase "in line with" is used a lot in the business world; for example: "In line with company policy, we only buy eco-friendly products". "In keeping with" tends to be used more widely, and is used a lot with the word "tradition"; for example: "In keeping with tradition, the funeral will only be for family and close friends" (i.e., not open to the public). I hope this helps! Paul Remy Seneschal

I think the best thing you can do is to learn these phrases as being attached to verbs. For example: "To keep in line with", "to be in line with" (for objects/nouns), "to stay in line with" and "to keep with". I can't (at least right now) think of other verbs that can be used. So, for your examples: "I'm in line with the tradition" = "I'm keeping with tradition" OR "It's in line with tradition" People aren't usually used with the "to be" form of "in line with tradition". You could say, though "My ideas are in line with tradition". "I plan to deal with the case in keeping with best practice standards": Here, we would use a comma instead of the 'in'. For example "I plan to deal with the case, keeping in line with best practice" or "I plan to deal with the case, keeping with best practice" (though the second one sounds a bit odd to me). It is important to note that this works because you're talking about *how* you're going to deal with the case, in contrast to... "I want to cook in keeping with the traditional cuisine of my country": Here I think you need more words to have it make sense - again, because you need to be referring to the "how" of the sentence. For example "I want to cook in a way which keeps in line with the traditional cuisine of my country". But really, why would you say that when you can just say "I want to cook my country's traditional cuisine"? "He likes to be in keeping with his principles": This is just straight-up wrong. Mostly again because people can't be the subject of "to be" with these sentences. You could say "He likes to keep with his principles", however, without the "to be" conjugation.

Yes it does! I'll stick to using "in keeping with" at the beginning of a sentence then!

There are so many subtle uses of words and their context becomes important Your last phrase is also somewhat awkward. He likes to keep to his principles . Would be fine Or he keeps to his principles. Or more formally.' in keeping with his principles he signs all documents the day they are received. Hope that helps

Thanks Lee Ann! But does that mean that the second one is correct then? "deal with the case etc..."? (I mean, it probably does as you would have said something about that too I guess, I just wanted to be sure even at the risk of sounding stupid :-)