Rise / Raise / Arise (Confusing Verbs) – English Grammar Exercises for B2
A memorable mountain camping trip and the breathtaking experience of watching the sunrise.
Choose the most appropriate word to complete each sentence. Pay attention to the grammatical context (transitive vs. intransitive) and the meaning of the sentence.
1 We woke up at 4 AM to watch the sun ______ over the spectacular mountain peaks.
(a) arise
(b) rise
(c) raise
(d) rised
2 Before leaving the tent, I had to ______ my heavy backpack from the muddy ground.
(a) rise
(b) raising
(c) raise
(d) arise
3 Our tour guide told us that the temperature usually ______ quite fast once the morning mist clears.
(a) arises
(b) rises
(c) is raise
(d) raises
4 I asked a question about the trail, and the guide ______ his hand to point at the map.
(a) raised
(b) arose
(c) rised
(d) rose
5 As we sat around the campfire, the beautiful smell of fresh coffee ______ in the cold air.
(a) raised
(b) arose
(c) rose
(d) was risen
6 An unexpected issue ______ when we realized we had forgotten our water purifier.
(a) rose
(b) raised
(c) arised
(d) arose
7 The wind was howling loudly, so I ______ my voice to ensure everyone at the back could hear me.
(a) raised
(b) arose
(c) risen
(d) rose
8 By the time we finally reached the summit, the sun had already ______ completely.
(a) rose
(b) raised
(c) arisen
(d) risen
9 Whenever a severe storm ______ in the mountains, it is much safer to stay inside the tent.
(a) arises
(b) is arisen
(c) rises
(d) raises
10 The national park authority has recently ______ the camping fees to protect the environment.
(a) raised
(b) risen
(c) arisen
(d) rose
11 As the altitude increases, the bread dough we brought for breakfast takes much longer to ______.
(a) arise
(b) raise
(c) rise
(d) be rised
12 Before the trip, we managed to ______ enough money to buy high-quality sleeping bags.
(a) rise
(b) arise
(c) raising
(d) raise
13 A thick layer of fog ______ from the deep valley, completely hiding the trees below us.
(a) arose
(b) rose
(c) was rose
(d) raised
14 If any sudden medical emergencies ______ during the trek, please use the satellite phone immediately.
(a) rise
(b) will arise
(c) arise
(d) raise
15 The strange, massive footprint near our tent ______ our suspicions that a wild bear was nearby.
(a) raised
(b) arose
(c) rose
(d) has raise
16 The local guide warned us that severe altitude sickness might ______ from ascending too quickly.
(a) to arise
(b) arise
(c) raise
(d) rise
17 We stood in awe as a colorful hot air balloon gracefully ______ above the nearby hills.
(a) rose
(b) was raised
(c) rised
(d) raised
18 Fortunately, only a few minor problems have ______ since we started this expedition.
(a) raised
(b) arisen
(c) arose
(d) risen
19 One of our teammates was born and ______ in a small village right at the base of this mountain.
(a) arose
(b) arosed
(c) raised
(d) risen
20 The debate over which descending trail was the safest ______ a lot of tension among the tired hikers.
(a) was risen
(b) raised
(c) rose
(d) arose
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (b) rise
Why correct: “Rise” is an intransitive verb (no object needed) used for physical upward movement, like the sun moving up in the sky.
Distractor analysis: (c) “raise” is a common mistake as it needs a direct object. (a) “arise” is a strong meaning trap; while grammatically intransitive, it is used for abstract events (problems, opportunities), not physical objects like the sun. (d) “rised” is a structural error (the past forms are rose/risen).
2 (c) raise
Why correct: “Raise” is a transitive verb meaning “to lift something.” It takes the direct object “my heavy backpack”.
Distractor analysis: (a) “rise” is a common mistake because it cannot take an object. (d) “arise” is a meaning trap used for abstract happenings. (b) “raising” is a structural error as the base verb is needed after “had to”.
3 (b) rises
Why correct: The subject “temperature” moves upward on its own. It requires the intransitive verb “rise”.
Distractor analysis: (d) “raises” is the common mistake of using a transitive verb without an object. (a) “arises” is a meaning trap (temperatures rise, problems arise). (c) “is raise” is a fundamental structural error.
4 (a) raised
Why correct: The guide physically lifted an object (“his hand”). This requires the transitive verb “raise” in the past tense.
Distractor analysis: (d) “rose” is a common mistake of confusing intransitive for transitive. (b) “arose” is a meaning trap (abstract vs physical). (c) “rised” is a structural error (incorrect verb conjugation).
5 (c) rose
Why correct: The smell moved upward physically without anyone lifting it. It requires the past tense of the intransitive verb “rise” (rose).
Distractor analysis: (a) “raised” is a common mistake because it implies someone lifted the smell. (b) “arose” is a strong distractor, but a smell is physical, not an abstract situation. (d) “was risen” is a structural error (intransitive verbs cannot be used in the passive voice).
6 (d) arose
Why correct: “Arise” is used when abstract concepts like issues, problems, or situations happen or occur. The past tense is “arose”.
Distractor analysis: (b) “raised” is a common mistake (no object is present). (a) “rose” is a meaning trap because issues don’t physically move up; they happen. (c) “arised” is a structural error (wrong past tense form).
7 (a) raised
Why correct: The speaker increased the volume of an object (“my voice”). This requires the transitive verb “raise”.
Distractor analysis: (d) “rose” is a common mistake; a voice doesn’t rise itself when someone else is pushing it up, you raise your voice. (b) “arose” is a meaning trap. (c) “risen” is a structural error (past participle used without a helping verb).
8 (d) risen
Why correct: The sun moves up independently (intransitive). After the past perfect auxiliary “had”, we need the past participle “risen”.
Distractor analysis: (b) “raised” is a common mistake (transitive verb). (c) “arisen” is a meaning trap (sun is physical). (a) “rose” is a structural error (past simple used instead of V3).
9 (a) arises
Why correct: A storm is an event/situation that occurs. “Arise” is the perfect verb for events or problems coming into existence.
Distractor analysis: (d) “raises” is a common mistake (needs an object). (c) “rises” is a meaning trap; storms don’t float upwards, they happen. (b) “is arisen” is a structural error (intransitive passive).
10 (a) raised
Why correct: The park authority increased something (“the camping fees”). This requires the transitive verb “raise” in the past participle form after “has”.
Distractor analysis: (b) “risen” is a common mistake; fees can “rise” on their own, but if someone increases them, they are “raised”. (c) “arisen” is a meaning trap. (d) “rose” is a structural error (V2 used after ‘has’).
11 (c) rise
Why correct: Bread dough expands and moves upwards on its own. This takes the intransitive verb “rise”.
Distractor analysis: (b) “raise” is a common mistake. (a) “arise” is a meaning trap. (d) “be rised” is a structural error.
12 (d) raise
Why correct: To collect money for a cause or purpose is a set collocation: “to raise money” (transitive).
Distractor analysis: (a) “rise” is a common mistake. (b) “arise” is a meaning trap. (c) “raising” is a structural error (infinitive ‘to’ must be followed by the base verb).
13 (b) rose
Why correct: Fog is a physical element moving upwards on its own. We use the past tense of “rise” (rose).
Distractor analysis: (d) “raised” is a common mistake (nobody lifted the fog). (a) “arose” is a meaning trap (fog is physical, not an abstract event). (c) “was rose” is a structural error.
14 (c) arise
Why correct: Medical emergencies are abstract situations that occur. This fits the intransitive verb “arise”.
Distractor analysis: (d) “raise” is a common mistake (requires an object). (a) “rise” is a meaning trap. (b) “will arise” is a structural error (First Conditional ‘if’ clauses use present simple, not future).
15 (a) raised
Why correct: The footprint (subject) caused or provoked suspicions (object). This requires the transitive verb “raise” (“to raise suspicions”).
Distractor analysis: (c) “rose” is a common mistake (intransitive verbs can’t take the object ‘suspicions’). (b) “arose” is a meaning trap (“suspicions arose” is correct, but here “footprint” acts upon the suspicions, necessitating a transitive verb). (d) “has raise” is a structural error.
16 (b) arise
Why correct: Sickness is an abstract condition that occurs or results from something. It fits the intransitive verb “arise” (specifically: arise from).
Distractor analysis: (c) “raise” is a common mistake. (d) “rise” is a meaning trap. (a) “to arise” is a structural error (modal verb ‘might’ takes a bare infinitive).
17 (a) rose
Why correct: The hot air balloon moved upwards under its own power (intransitive: rose).
Distractor analysis: (d) “raised” is a common mistake. (b) “was raised” is a meaning trap/strong distractor (it implies the balloon was physically hoisted up by a crane, rather than flying). (c) “rised” is a structural error.
18 (b) arisen
Why correct: Problems are abstract concepts that happen. This needs “arise”, and after “have”, we need the V3 form “arisen”.
Distractor analysis: (a) “raised” is a common mistake. (d) “risen” is a meaning trap. (c) “arose” is a structural error (V2 used after ‘have’).
19 (c) raised
Why correct: “To be born and raised” is a fixed transitive collocation meaning to bring up a child. Since it’s passive, we use the V3 form of “raise”.
Distractor analysis: (d) “risen” is a common mistake. (a) “arose” is a meaning trap. (b) “arosed” is a structural error.
20 (b) raised
Why correct: The debate (subject) increased or caused tension (object). Because there is a direct object, the transitive verb “raised” must be used.
Distractor analysis: (c) “rose” is a common mistake (used without recognizing the object ‘tension’). (d) “arose” is a meaning trap (Tension can arise, but a debate raises tension). (a) “was risen” is a structural error.
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
To master these three confusing verbs, you only need to remember their Object Rule and Meaning Rule:
1 RISE (Rise – Rose – Risen)
- Rule: INTRANSITIVE (Never takes an object).
- Meaning: Physical upward movement (done by the subject itself).
- Example: The sun rises. The temperature rose. The dough has risen.
2 RAISE (Raise – Raised – Raised)
- Rule: TRANSITIVE (Always takes a direct object).
- Meaning: To physically lift something, to increase something, to collect money, or to bring up a child.
- Example: Please raise your hand. They raised the prices. She raised three kids.
3 ARISE (Arise – Arose – Arisen)
- Rule: INTRANSITIVE (Never takes an object).
- Meaning: Abstract “upward movement” – meaning to happen, to occur, or to result from. Usually applied to problems, situations, opportunities, or emergencies.
- Example: A new problem arose. If the opportunity arises, take it.