Raise and rise have similar meanings, but they’re different! Mixing them up is one of the most common mistakes in English.

Here’s a video I made about it:

And here’s a link to the slideshow if you want to check that out.

The Basics

Raise and rise are both verbs that mean ‘things going up’. Raise is regular; rise is irregular. Raise has an object and rise doesn’t.

Raise

I think of raise as being ‘active’. It’s an ACTION. It’s something you do.

For example, you raise your hand to answer a question in class (your hand goes up). Or you raise money for charity by running a marathon (the amount of money you have goes up). Or you own a company and you raise your prices (the cost of your products goes up).

You can also raise a child. That means ‘help the child grow up’.

Rise

Rise is more something that happens to you. You can’t change it. I call it ‘passive’.

If the cost of bread goes up, there’s nothing you can do about it. You either buy some bread at the new price or you don’t. So the price of bread rises. (If you work for the bread company you can raise the price, but I’m guessing you don’t work for a bread company.)

The sun rises (goes up) in the morning and sets (goes down) in the evening. It happens every day whether you think about it or not. (Don’t write to me from the North Pole – you know what I mean.)

Raise vs Rise Practice

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A super-quick test to make sure you totally know the difference between raise and rise.

Raise vs Rise Practice

Question 1 of 5.

Why shouldn't you buy a house like this?

1. Because you only get a 3G phone signal there and the nearest Pizza Hut is really far.

2. Because the sea is rising. Because of climate change.

In 20 years the water will be right up to the balcony.

Question 2 of 5.

Andrew has ______________ a lot of money for charity.

1. Eaten.

2. Vomited.

3. Risen.

4. Raised.

In 2011 I created a Kiva team that lends money around the world via Microfinance. I checked yesterday and so far we have lent 26,000 dollars! Not bad. Email me if you want to join my team.

Question 3 of 5.

What is Leo doing here?

1. Raising his glass.

2. Rising his glass.

Raise a glass to Leo finally winning an Oscar!

Question 4 of 5.

What does Scarlett do with her eyebrow?

1. She raises it.

2. She rises it.

See also: Roger Moore; Leonard Nimoy.

Question 5 of 5.

Describe this animation in two words:

1. Ugh. Science.

2. Raise soil?

3. Heat rises.

My attic gets boiling hot in summer. All the heat from the house goes up there, and that's where it stays. It's like a sauna.

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