1. The words 'raise', 'rise' and 'raze' sound and look similar. As a result,
there is sometimes confusion between them - particularly 'raise' and 'rise' as these
are close in meaning too.
Raise and RiseThe word raise means to lift or elevate. Rise means to move from a lower position to a higher
position. It has the same meaning as 'to ascend'. The past tense of rise is rose.
There is no such word as 'rised'.
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He is raising the red ball.
With "raise", there is usually something lifting something else.
The blue ball is rising.
With "rise", the object ascends itself. |
Remember, raise is not always about lifting - you can raise a
question and raise children.
Examples:
 The stagehands need to raise the platform so
it is high enough for the whole audience to see the bands. 
Wearing a sheer skirt will
rise a few eyebrows. 
(should be raise)
The sheer
skirt made his eyebrows rise.
Running the marathon will help to
raise funds.
RazeRaze is a less common word. It means to demolish completely or to delete.
(It can also be written 'rase'. This is not a UK convention.
It is simply an alternative spelling.)
The arsonist razed the forest to the ground.
The plough will raze the ice from the road surface.
Councils forced to raze homes.
(i.e., destroy them)
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THE LETTER 'A' IN RAISE
The letter 'a' in raise can serve as a reminder that the verb 'to raise' acts on
something. (This means it has a direct
object.)
I raised my eyebrows.
(In this example, it is acting on 'my eyebrows'. Therefore, the direct object is 'my
eyebrows'.)
She raised a
question.
(In this example, the direct object is 'question'.)
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TRANSITIVE VERBS
Verbs that take a direct object are known as transitive verbs. This is important
because 'to raise' is a transitive verb, but 'to rise' is not. It is
intransitive. It does not act on anything. This is the most notable
difference between 'raise' and 'rise'.
I rose my eyebrows.
(The verb 'to rise' is intransitive. It cannot have a direct object. This
example is wrong.)
My eyebrows
rose.
(Here, 'rose' is not acting on anything.)
Watch the
moon rise.
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Easily Confused Words
