‘Raise’ vs. ‘Rise’: How to Use ‘Raise’ and ‘Rise’ Correctly

“Raise” functions as both a verb and a noun in English grammar, meaning to help, lift up, or increase, depending on the context. There are several ways to correctly use the word “raise.”

• As a literal, transitive verb: As a regular verb, “raise” means "to move to a higher position.” For example, "We shall raise the flag." Its past tense and past participle conjugations are both spelled "raised." The same sentence in the past tense would be, “We raised the flag.” The verb “raise” is also transitive. Transitive verbs involve subjects acting upon objects. This distinguishes raise from “rise,” which is an intransitive verb that does not apply to a direct object.
• As a figurative verb: The verb “raise” often appears in idiomatic phrases like "raise children" or "raise a family." These are figurative variations inspired by the literal meaning of “raise.”
• As a noun: The noun raise means "a higher level." It appears most frequently in the phrase “pay raise.”

The verb “rise” means "to ascend to a higher level." It is an intransitive verb, which means it does not involve a direct object. When we say "the sun rises," we refer only to the sun's own upward movement. However, “rise” is often followed by adverbs or by the preposition "to," as in "rise to the occasion." “Rise” is an irregular verb. Its past tense form is "rose," and its past participle form is "risen."

The following sentences make correct use of the word “raise.”

1. 1. As a literal, transitive verb: "Raise the flag at six o'clock sharp."
2. 2. As a figurative verb: "It takes a village to raise a child."
3. 3. As a noun: "Patty got a raise as part of her new job."

The following sentences make correct use of the verb “rise.”

1. 1. Present tense, describing an intransitive action: "Smoke rises up the chimney."
2. 2. Leading off a prepositional phrase: "Our team will rise to the occasion."
3. 3. As an irregular verb in past participle form: "She has risen up the ranks to become CEO."

Whether you are an English teacher leading a class or a novelist sorting through confusing words, you can follow these simple rules to correctly choose between “raise” and “rise.”

1. 1. If your sentence has a direct object, use “raise.” “Raise” is a transitive verb, which means it applies to an object. A team can "raise a championship banner." It cannot "rise a championship banner."
2. 2. If your sentence does not have a direct object, use “rise.” “Rise” is an intransitive verb, which means it does not involve a direct object. You can nonetheless embellish the word “rise” with adverbs or prepositional phrases. A balloon can "rise swiftly" or a colleague can "rise to meet the moment."
3. 3. If you are writing about a pay increase, use “raise.” You can get a "pay raise" but not a "pay rise."

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