ACT English

Rise vs raise on the ACT

October 6, 2026 · 5 min read

Rise means to go up on its own. Raise means to lift something. Rise does not take a direct object. Raise does. Scores rise. Raise your hand. Same object test as sit versus set.

What is being lifted?

If nothing is being lifted, use rise: The sun rises. The average rose. If someone is lifting a thing, use raise: Raise the flag. They raised the fee. Past of rise is rose, past participle risen. Past of raise is raised.

Lie versus lay is the recline version of this split, in lie versus lay. Diction overall is in word choice. Grammar as a set is in ACT grammar rules.

The bottom line

Goes up by itself: rise. Someone lifts it: raise.

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