The Difference between Raise vs. Rise: Grammar Guide
By Robin
What is the difference between raise and rise?
Grammar Request: My students often use raise and rise incorrectly. Could you write a hub on the difference?
We raised our heads to watch the sun rise over the Golden Gate Bridge.
Raise vs. Rise
Both words can mean "to move upwards", but they are not interchangeable. "Rise" is an intransitive verb and "raise" is a transitive verb.
Intransitive verbs, like rise, do not require an object. "Rise" does not require an object to do the motion. E.g., the sun rises every morning; she rose from her nap around 2 o'clock. The sun is rising on its own as did the napping girl.
Transitive verbs, like raise, require an object. "Raise" requires an object to cause the motion. E.g., she raised her hand to answer the question; She raised the girl up onto his shoulders. The girl moved her own arm to answer the question and physically lifted the child onto his shoulders.
- Raise is a regular verb: raise, raised, raised
- Rise is an irregular verb: rise, rose, risen
Common Uses of Rise
- To move into an upright position from lying, kneeling or sitting: Please rise for the Lord's Prayer.
- To move upward without assistance: He likes to rise with the sun.
- To return from death: Michael Jackson rose from the dead in his video "Thriller".
Common Uses of Raise
- To elevate: She raised the bar in the competition.
- To lift something: Please raise your hand.
- To set upright by building: They raised the statue in her honor.
- To bring to maturity: She raised him all by herself.
- To increase: He raised his bet by five dollars.
Raise/Rise and Lay/Lie
There are similarities between "raise/rise" and "lay/lie".
"Raise" and "lay" both require an outside object to do the action. You raise something else up and lay something else down.
"Rise" and "lie" are done to oneself. You rise yourself (or the subject of the sentence) up and lie yourself (or the subject of the sentence) down.
Both of these examples require an object to do the motion.
- She raised up her arms in disgust.
- She laid the pillow on top of the bed.
Both of these examples do not have an object causing the motion
- They will rise up against their oppressors.
- All she wanted was to lie down on the sofa for 15 minutes.
More information on lie vs. lay
- Grammar Mishaps: Lie vs. Lay
Are you still confused on lie and lay? Here is more information for clarification, as well as the present, past and past participle forms of the two verbs.
Merriam-Webster Complete Definition: Rise
- to assume an upright position especially from lying, kneeling, or sitting
- to get up from sleep or from one's bed
- to return from death
- to take up arms <rise in rebellion>
- to respond warmly: applaud usually used with to <the audience rose to her verve and wit>
- chiefly British : to end a session or adjourn
- to appear above the horizon <the sun rises at six>
- to move upward
- to increase in height, size, volume, or pitch
- to extend above other objects <mountain peaks rose to the west>
- to become heartened or elated <his spirits rose>
- to increase in fervor or intensity <my anger rose as I thought about the insult>
- to attain a higher level or rank <officers who rose from the ranks>
- to increase in quantity or number
- to take place
- to come into being
- to follow as a consequence
- to exert oneself to meet a challenge <rise to the occasion>
rise, rose, risen
Merriam-Webster Complete Definition: Raise
- to cause or help to rise to a standing position
- to awaken or arouse
- to stir up or incite <raise a rebellion>
- to flush (game) from cover
- to recall from or as if from death
- to set upright by lifting or building <raise a monument>
- to lift up <raise your hand> <raise sunken treasure>
- to place higher in rank or dignity; to elevate
- to heighten or invigorate <raise the spirits>
- to end or suspend the operation or validity of <raise a siege>
- to get together for a purpose; to collect <raise funds>
- to grow, cultivate <raise cotton>
- to bring to maturity; to rear <raise a child>
- to breed and bring (an animal) to maturity
- to give rise to; to provoke <raise a commotion>
- to give voice to <raise a cheer>
- to bring up for consideration or debate <raise an issue>
- to increase the strength, intensity, or pitch of <don't raise your voice>
- to increase the degree of
- to cause to rise in level or amount <raise the rent>
- to bet more than (a previous bettor)
- to make a higher bridge bid in (a partner's suit)
- to increase the bid of (one's partner)
- to increase the amount of (a poker bet)
- to make light and porous <raise dough>
- to cause to ascend <raise the dust>
- to multiply (a quantity) by itself a specified number of times <raise two to the fourth power>
- to bring in sight on the horizon by approaching <raise land>
- to bring up the nap of (cloth)
- to cause (as a blister) to form on the skin
- to increase the nominal value of fraudulently <raise a check>
- to articulate (a sound) with the tongue in a higher position
- to establish radio communication with
raise, raised, raised
Thoughts, Comments, Questions?
thank you
I m confused. what is the correct sentence? He is sitting on ur place or he is sitting at ur place. Please help.
Great topic. There's a free grammar checker that helps with this kind of thing: www.spellcheckplus.com
sorry, correction, bought is not reflexive in that example. oops.
Heba, 'I will sit down' is correct. 'I will sit myself down' should never be written, only said informally. You are the only one who can sit yourself down. you cannot be the subject and the object at the same time (at least, i don't think you can!). Sit is intransitive. You cannot sit anything down. Set is transitive. You set something down. Something cannot set itself down. So, the book is sitting on the counter, but I set the book on the counter. No object in the first (intransitive), object in the second (transitive).
I rise. I sit. I lie. No one can do these actions for us or to us, and we can't do them to parts of our bodies, otherwise we use raise (I raise my hand), set (I set my hand on the wheel), lay (I lay my hand on her shoulder). Sit is not a reflexive verb (I washed myself. I bought myself a book. etc). I hope that helps.
I for one am still trying to figure out why Americans say pay raise and everyone else says pay rise. It has been explained to me that transitive verbs are never turned into nouns, only intransitive verbs. This makes sense as a rule, but to me there is a difference between a rise and a a raise. still looking for a more thorough explanation...
Very nice. Next I search on a grammar mishap, I know which one to click on first.
This is one of the best pages I have seen to date that has explained a topic so well.
What about sit and set? I undertsnad that the same applies to those two verbs, with set you need an object, "I will set those book on the counter". And "The books have been sitting on the counter for two days now". But What about, "I will sit myself down"? In this sentence we have an object (myself) yet we use sit not set. Any idea why?
Gosh, what a hub! Thank you -- I've had issues with lie/lay for years. Now, it's clear to me. Thank you very much for sharing...
This hub is awesome Robin! I hope you don't mind, but I am linking in. Bookmarked!
K9
thank you so much for your information, I think it`s very important how to use correct verbs? such as raise and rise
Thanks, your information is very complete!!!!!
That's absolutely clear thank you I guess I don't have any kind of problem anymore:)
In the case of a pay raise/rise raise or rise is a noun not a verb so this article doesn't apply. As I understand it both are correct and their are regional variations on usage.
In the sentence, "I'm going to raise your pay," however there is only one correct form.
Just use "increase" and forget about it!
i am from Jordan,Middle East, and you have no idea how much you helped with my final exam!!!
(yes we take English a main material)
thank you very much!
Very good that someone raised this question. Or was the question ifact risen?
The world raise means to lift or elevate. Rise means to move from a lower position to a higher position. Raise is not always used about lifting. for example... You can raise question and you can raise children..
He is raising the red ball.
The blue ball is rising.
Thanks for your post!
Transitive vs Intransitive is a really confusing subject for non-native speakers like myself, and your page nicely clarifies that.
I really could have used this information in high school (he said, when the opportunity rose)!
I came to that conclusion based on what Robin explained above.
Thanks Robin.
Here's how I see the "pay" raise/rise conundrum.
Your employer gives you a raise. Because the employer is the one doing it.
You as the employee receive a pay rise.
Because you are not the one actually making the change.
However well deserved it is. The decision and action is ultimately from the employer.
Hello, I'm teaching English in the Czech Rep. and I'm desperately looking for help, I don't know who to turn to. I've found your comments on the rise vs raise problem. They're quite clear to me. Still, as a non native speaker I kindly ask for confirmation on which of the following is correct. I belive the second one. Thank you so much. Ilona
1) Their pay has been risen.
2) Their pay has been raised.
Full and clear, thank you so much !
Sorry... typo there... I mean to say: There's no object causing the "rise" in the context of "pay rise"
Great article. As to the comment about the difference in a "pay rise" between the US and UK... well, there shouldn't be any. We simply use it, incorrectly.
As Robin explains here, "raise" would require an object to excute the motion. There's no object "doing causing a raise" in the context of "pay rise"... "his/her pay simply rises". I added some examples below. I hope it helps.
Correct: "I got a pay rise", "My pay rises yearly" "My pay rose in the last two years", "My pay had risen before the economy took a downturn"
Incorrect: "I got a pay raise", "My pay raised in the last two years"
Correct: "My company is raising my pay this year", "My pay was raised today", "My pay would've been raised, had I performed well"
we write: "she raises her hand" ok...
But,
"her hand had raised" or "her hand had risen"?
I am confused. Which is the correct sentence? I am doing a brochure, and need the correct sentence structure."This workshop will offer a practical guide to raising well-balanced children." OR"This workshop will offer a practical guide to raise weil-balanced children.Thank you very much. I am on DEADLINE AND WOULD APPRECIATE A REPLY ASAP!!
hi robin,
can you elaborate the difference given by kethy.
however your demarcation between the two is good.
be in touch...
Interesting, Kathy. I didn't know that there was a difference. Thanks for the comment!
Great article! Adding to the confusion, for the noun meaning "an increase in pay", it's raise in US English, and rise in UK English.
Thanks for the comment, Jimmy. ;)
when i saw the heading raise v rise i thought to myself there is no difference now i know their is thankyou robin...jimmy
Grammar books on eBay
|
Imitation in Writing - Grammar of Poetry SET Teacher & Student books Ambleside
Current Bid: $19.95
|
|
Ancient Rhetorics Contemporary Students Writing Textbook College Book Grammar
Current Bid: $29.99
|
Jara 7 months ago
An A2 student of EFL asked me yesterday right this question. After babbling for a few seconds, I said I'd look it up. Super useful! Thanks for sharing.