Continue statement behavior in C Sharp (C#) - Step-by-Step Execution

Concept Flow - Continue statement behavior

Start Loop

↓

Check Condition

Yes↓

Execute Loop Body

↓

Is 'continue' reached?

Yes→Skip rest of body

↓

Execute remaining body

↓

Update Loop Variable

↓

Repeat Loop

No↓

Exit Loop

The loop checks its condition, executes the body, and if 'continue' is reached, it skips the rest of the body and moves to the next iteration.

Execution Sample

C Sharp (C#)

for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
    if (i == 2) continue;
    Console.Write(i + " ");
}

This code prints numbers 0 to 4, but skips printing 2 because of the continue statement.

Execution Table

Iteration	i value	Condition (i<5)	Continue Check (i==2)	Action	Output
1	0	True	False	Print 0	0
2	1	True	False	Print 1	1
3	2	True	True	Skip print, continue to next iteration
4	3	True	False	Print 3	3
5	4	True	False	Print 4	4
6	5	False	-	Exit loop

💡 i reaches 5, condition i<5 is False, loop ends

Variable Tracker

Variable	Start	After 1	After 2	After 3	After 4	After 5	Final
i	0	1	2	3	4	5	5

Key Moments - 2 Insights

Why does the number 2 not get printed even though the loop runs when i=2?

Because at iteration 3 (i=2), the condition i==2 is true, so the continue statement skips the print and moves to the next iteration, as shown in the execution_table row 3.

Does the continue statement stop the entire loop?

No, continue only skips the rest of the current loop iteration and proceeds to the next one, as seen in the execution_table where after continue, the loop variable updates and the loop continues.

Visual Quiz - 3 Questions

Look at the execution_table, what is the output after iteration 4?

A "0 1 3 "

B "0 1 2 3 "

C "0 1 3 4 "

D "0 1 2 3 4 "

💡 Hint

Check the Output column up to iteration 4 in the execution_table.

At which iteration does the loop stop running?

A After iteration 5

B After iteration 6

C After iteration 4

D After iteration 3

💡 Hint

Look at the exit_note and the Condition column in the execution_table.

If the continue statement was removed, what would be the output after iteration 3?

A "0 1 3 "

B "0 1 "

C "0 1 2 "

D "2 3 4 "

💡 Hint

Without continue, the print happens every iteration; check Output column for iterations before continue.

Concept Snapshot

continue statement in loops:
- When 'continue' runs, skip rest of current loop body
- Move immediately to next iteration
- Loop variable updates as usual
- Useful to skip specific cases without stopping loop

Full Transcript

This example shows how the continue statement works in a C# for loop. The loop runs from i=0 to i=4. When i equals 2, the continue statement skips printing that number and moves to the next iteration. The output prints 0, 1, 3, and 4, skipping 2. The loop ends when i reaches 5 and the condition i<5 becomes false. Continue does not stop the loop, it only skips the rest of the current iteration.

Practice

1. What does the continue statement do inside a loop in C#?

easy

A. Stops the entire loop immediately

B. Skips the rest of the current loop iteration and moves to the next one

C. Exits the current method

D. Repeats the current iteration without moving forward

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the role of continue in loops

   The continue statement tells the loop to skip the remaining code in the current iteration.

2. Step 2: Identify what happens after continue

   After skipping, the loop moves to the next iteration without stopping the whole loop.

3. Final Answer:

   Skips the rest of the current loop iteration and moves to the next one -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   continue skips current iteration [OK]

Hint: Remember: continue skips current loop step, not whole loop [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing continue with break
• Thinking continue exits the method
• Assuming continue repeats the iteration

2. Which of the following is the correct syntax to use continue inside a for loop in C#?

easy

A. continue;

B. continue()

C. continue {}

D. continue[]

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall the syntax of continue

   In C#, continue is a statement and must be followed by a semicolon.

2. Step 2: Check each option

   Only continue; is valid syntax. The others use parentheses, braces, or brackets incorrectly.

3. Final Answer:

   continue; -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Correct syntax ends with semicolon [OK]

Hint: Use semicolon after continue, no parentheses [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Adding parentheses after continue
• Using braces or brackets with continue
• Omitting the semicolon

3. What will be the output of the following C# code?

for (int i = 1; i <= 5; i++) {
  if (i == 3) continue;
  Console.Write(i + " ");
}

medium

A. 2 3 4 5

B. 1 2 3 4 5

C. 1 2 3 4

D. 1 2 4 5

Solution

1. Step 1: Analyze the loop and condition

   The loop runs from 1 to 5. When i equals 3, continue skips printing.

2. Step 2: Determine printed values

   Numbers 1, 2, 4, and 5 are printed with spaces. Number 3 is skipped.

3. Final Answer:

   1 2 4 5 -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   continue skips printing 3 [OK]

Hint: Skip printing when continue triggers, others print [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Including the skipped number in output
• Confusing continue with break
• Ignoring spaces in output

4. Identify the error in this C# code snippet using continue:

int i = 0;
while (i < 3) {
  if (i == 1)
    continue;
  Console.Write(i);
  i++;
}

medium

A. Syntax error: continue cannot be used in while loop

B. Missing semicolon after continue

C. Infinite loop because i++ is skipped when i == 1

D. Console.Write should be Console.WriteLine

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand loop behavior with continue

   When i == 1, continue skips i++, so i stays 1 forever.

2. Step 2: Identify the problem caused

   The loop never increments i past 1, causing an infinite loop.

3. Final Answer:

   Infinite loop because i++ is skipped when i == 1 -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   continue skips i++ causing infinite loop [OK]

Hint: Ensure increments run before continue to avoid infinite loops [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking continue causes syntax error
• Ignoring loop variable increment
• Assuming Console.WriteLine fixes logic

5. You want to print all even numbers from 1 to 10 but skip printing 6 using a for loop and continue. Which code snippet correctly does this?

hard

A. for (int i = 2; i <= 10; i += 2) { if (i == 6) continue; Console.Write(i + " "); }

B. for (int i = 1; i <= 10; i++) { if (i % 2 == 0 && i != 6) Console.Write(i + " "); }

C. for (int i = 2; i <= 10; i++) { if (i % 2 == 0) Console.Write(i + " "); if (i == 6) continue; }

D. for (int i = 2; i <= 10; i += 2) { if (i == 6) break; Console.Write(i + " "); }

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the goal

   Print even numbers 2,4,8,10 but skip 6 using continue inside a for loop.

2. Step 2: Check each option

   for (int i = 2; i <= 10; i += 2) { if (i == 6) continue; Console.Write(i + " "); } loops by 2, skips 6 with continue, prints others. for (int i = 1; i <= 10; i++) { if (i % 2 == 0 && i != 6) Console.Write(i + " "); } prints all evens except 6 but no continue used. for (int i = 2; i <= 10; i++) { if (i % 2 == 0) Console.Write(i + " "); if (i == 6) continue; } prints 6 because print happens before continue. for (int i = 2; i <= 10; i += 2) { if (i == 6) break; Console.Write(i + " "); } breaks at 6, stopping loop early, so 8 and 10 not printed.

3. Final Answer:

   for (int i = 2; i <= 10; i += 2) { if (i == 6) continue; Console.Write(i + " "); } -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Use continue to skip 6 in even-step loop [OK]

Hint: Loop evens, continue at 6 to skip it, print others [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using break instead of continue
• Not incrementing by 2 for evens
• Skipping continue and using if only