Raising something and rising

The idea

Raise takes an object: someone raises something. Rise has no direct object: something rises. The forms are raise–raised–raised and rise–rose–risen.

Examples

• Maya raised the window to let in fresh air.
• The river rose after two days of rain.
• The chef raised the oven temperature for the bread.
• Prices have risen since the new market opened.
• Please raise your hand if you have a question.
• We watched the sun rise behind the hills.

Watch out

Do not say the river raised when the river itself went up; say the river rose.

Try it yourself

1. Choose the correct form. Please ___ the lamp higher so I can read. (raise / rise)

   Show answer or example answer

   raise

   raise: The lamp is the object being moved higher.

2. Choose the correct form. The water began to ___ during the storm. (raise / rise)

   Show answer or example answer

   rise

   rise: The water itself moves upward.

3. Choose the correct form. Yesterday, the crowd ___ to its feet when the concert ended. (raised / rose)

   Show answer or example answer

   rose

   rose: The crowd itself stood up; this is the past of rise.

Use it today

Describe something you raised and something that rose.