Rise vs raise
Rise means to go up on its own, like the sun, smoke, or prices. Raise means to lift or increase something else, like your hand or prices: the shop raised its prices, so prices rose.
You raise something. Things rise by themselves.
rise verb
To go up, or to become higher or greater, on its own.
- Smoke rose slowly from the chimney.
- Prices often rise when supplies run low.
raise verb
To lift something or someone to a higher position.
- Raise your hand if you know the answer.
- Workers used a crane to raise the steel beam into place.
Watch out
- The past forms are different. Rise becomes rose and risen. Raise becomes raised.The sun rose early, and we raised the flag at seven.
- Both words can be nouns. A rise is an increase in an amount, price, or number. More money in your pay is a raise in American English but a pay rise in British English.After five years, he finally asked his boss for a raise.
Test yourself
The sun will blank at 6:15 tomorrow.
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rise. The sun goes up by itself. Nobody lifts it, so use rise.
Please blank your hand if you have a question.
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raise. You lift your hand, so use raise.
Bread dough will blank if you leave it in a warm place.
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rise. The dough goes up on its own, so use rise.
There has been a sharp blank in house prices this year.
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rise. A rise is an increase in an amount, price, or number.