RAISE vs RISE Learn the Difference (Video, Quiz, PDF)

The verbs raise and rise are very similar in meaning which makes them easy to confuse. I often hear non-native speakers use these two words incorrectly. I wrote this blog post after teaching this grammar to my own private students here in Japan. Now I want to help ESL students around the world master this vocabulary.

RAISE is a Transitive verb – a verb used with a direct object
“Raise your hand if you know the answer.” (your hand is the object)
RISE is an Intransitive verb – a verb used without a direct object
“Smoke was rising from the chimney.” (the intransitive verb RISE has no object
)

I’ve got lots more examples and explanations for you in this post. Keep reading and master this confusing English vocabulary.

RAISE and RISE Transitive and Intransitive verbs
RAISE is a Transitive verb that will be followed by a direct object
“They raised the price of gas again.” – the price of gas is the direct object of the transitive verb RAISE.
RISE is an Intransitive verb will not be followed by a direct object
“Smoke was rising from the chimney.” – the intransitive verb RISE has no object (*from the chimney* tells us where the smoke is coming from, it is not the object of the verb.)

The verb raise has over 12 uses, and rise has around 15. I have chosen 2 meanings for each word, the meanings that my own English students often confuse. 
Definitions and pronunciation links are from Oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com

RAISE meaning

Click for pronunciation
raise – verb ① lift or move something to a higher level

  • Raise your hand if you know the answer.”

The verb RAISE needs someone or something to move it to a higher level. It is not lifted by itself.

② to increase the amount or level of something

  • “The store has raised the price of bananas.”
The store has raised the price of bananas. RAISE and RISE Transitive and Intransitive verbs
RAISE – different verb forms
Infinitive To raise [REIZ]
“I may have to raise my private class fees this year.”
Present simple Raise [REIZ]
“We should work together and raise awareness of the problem in our community.”
Present simple (Third-person singular) Raises [REIZ-IZ]
“The gas station raises its prices every month.”
Past simple Raised [REIZD]
“The last time I raised my lesson prices was 2 years ago.”
Past participle Raised [REIZD]
“This donut store hasn’t raised their prices, but their donuts are getting smaller.”

RISE meaning

   Click for pronunciation
rise – verb ① to come or go upwards; to reach a higher level or position  

  • “Smoke was rising from the chimney.”

② to increase in amount or number

  • “As the price of gas continues to rise, electric cars are becoming more popular.”

The verb RISE does not need someone or something to move it to a higher level. It goes up by itselflike the smoke – OR we don’t know who or what caused it to increaselike the price of gas.

RAISE and RISE -As the price of gas continues to rise, electric cars are becoming more popular.
RISE – different verb forms
Infinitive To rise [RAIZ]
“When you make bread, the dough needs to rise in a warm location.”
Present simple Rise [RAIZ]
“Global temperatures could rise three degrees or more in the next year.”
Present simple (Third-person singular) Rises [RAIZ-IZ]
“The price of gas rises every month.”
Past simple Rose [ROHZ]
“The president rose to power quickly.”
Past participle Risen [RIH-ZIN]
“These stock prices have risen steadily for the past 15 years.”

RAISE vs RISE – Difference

The key difference is that rise is an intransitive verb. What is an intransitive verb?

  • An intransitive verb is simply defined as a verb that does not take a direct object. There’s no word in the sentence that tells who or what received the action.

From https://grammar.yourdictionary.com/parts-of-speech/verbs/intransitive-verbs.html

Let’s compare 2 example sentences using raise and rise to help us understand transitive verbs and intransitive verbs.

RAISE
“Universities are raising tuition.”

~Raise is a transitive verb. It can take a direct object. In this sentence, the noun tuition is the object. We also know who is raising tuition, universities are raising tuition.

From our first examples 

①“Raise your hand if you know the answer.”
You (the listener) should raise your hand (direct object) if you know the answer.

② “The store has raised the price of bananas.”
The store acted upon the price of bananas. (direct object) They increased it.

RISE
“The cost of university is rising.”

~Rise is an intransitive verb. ‘Rising‘ is not followed by a noun, it does not have a direct object. We don’t know why the cost is rising or who did it. 

From our first example – ①“Smoke was rising from the chimney.”
Smoke rises automatically. No one is ‘raising’ the smoke. Intransitive verbs are often followed by prepositions (from) but not by a direct object.

② “As the price of gas continues to rise, electric cars are becoming more popular.”

The price of gas is increasing for several reasons, but none of these reasons are mentioned. We know that the price is increasing but we don’t know why. *In this sentence the noun electric cars is the subject of the second clause. Even though this noun follows the intransitive verb rise, it is not the direct object.

Learn more about Transitive and Intransitive verbs here:
Transitive and Intransitive verbs with PDF download

Smoke was rising from the chimney. Transitive and Intransitive verbs
Raise your hand if you know the answer. RAISE and RISE Transitive and Intransitive verbs

Modal Verbs / Can-Could-May-Might (Easy grammar) NOW with video

Can’t the words Raise and Rise also be used as nouns? 

That’s a great question and the answer is yes they can be nouns. Let me give you the definitions with some common examples that you can use in your own English conversations. 

raise noun – an increase in the money you are paid for the work you do
Oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com-raise_2 

  • I’m going to ask my boss for a raise today. I have worked for this company for 3 years and I think I’ve done a good job. 

  • Great news, I got a big raise yesterday at work. Today, lunch is on me.

*Note – In British English, they use the noun rise to mean the same thing.

  •  I’m going to ask my boss for a rise today. 

The noun rise has a few meanings.
Oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com rise_2 

rise noun – ① an increase in an amount, a number or a level

  • There has been a rise in the number of violent crimes in the city over the last few years. I think it’s time to move.

  • A sudden rise in temperature is not good for my flowers. 

② the act of becoming more important, successful, powerful, etc.

  • Tom Cruise’s rise to fame started when he was just 20, and he’s still a huge star today. 

  • The political party’s rise to power has surprised everyone. 

The noun sunrise is a compound word joining sun and rise. Sunrise is when the sun first comes to a higher level in the sky in the morning. 

  • Farmers are always up at sunrise to take care of the animals and work in the fields while it’s still cool. 

Conclusion – Raise vs Rise

The difference between raise and rise is that rise is an intransitive verb, and raise is intransitive. We can tell from the words that follow our verbs if they are transitive or intransitive. Transitive verbs will be followed by a noun (direct object). Intransitive verbs will be followed by a preposition, an adverb, or a period or comma to end the sentence or finish the clause.

Watch the video below to review this grammar and improve your English listening. This video was made to help you understand this grammar easily!

RAISE vs. RISE - English grammar (w...
RAISE vs. RISE - English grammar (w/ real examples)

Raise or Rise – Quiz

Take the quiz below to test your understanding of these easily confused verbs. You can do an interactive version of this quiz HERE. You can also download a printable PDF version to use any time offline. Other English teachers can use the quiz with their own students too. QUIZ

  1. My class is trying to _____ money for a trip to Peru next spring.
  • raise
  • rise
  1. If we want to take our business to the next level we must _____ our standards.
  • raise
  • rise
  1. The number of online scams is _____.  We have to be cautious if we receive strange emails.
  • raising
  • rising
  1. Unemployment _____ by 3 percent.
  • raised
  • rose
  1. Ben is a very calm person. He never _____ his voice.
  • raises
  • rises
  1. The government is ______ taxes again!
  • raising
  • rising
  1. The river has _____ by several meters.
  • raised
  • risen

Quiz Answer Audio

Listen to the correct quiz answers below.↓

Printable Quiz PDF worksheet

Download the Quiz as a printable PDF worksheet. Great for teachers to use with private or group classes. ↓

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