Rise / Raise / Arise (Confusing Verbs) – English Grammar Exercises for B2
Q3 Revenue Report Analysis – A Sales Director is presenting an upward profit trend and addressing related financial matters to the board of directors.
Choose the most appropriate word to complete each sentence. Pay attention to the grammatical context (transitive vs. intransitive) and the specific meaning of the word in a financial reporting scenario.
1 As you can clearly see on the screen, our total revenue ______ by 12% in the third quarter.
(a) rised
(b) arose
(c) rose
(d) raised
2 The CEO wants to know why our operational costs have ______ so sharply this year.
(a) raised
(b) risen
(c) rose
(d) arisen
3 Look at this graph; every time we launch a new software update, our sales volume ______.
(a) raises
(b) is rise
(c) arises
(d) rises
4 We must definitely ______ our marketing budget if we want to compete with these new rivals.
(a) raise
(b) rise
(c) raising
(d) arise
5 A significant logistical problem ______ last month when our main Asian supplier went bankrupt.
(a) raised
(b) arose
(c) was arisen
(d) rose
6 Before we move to the next slide, does anyone want to ______ a question about these profit figures?
(a) rise
(b) arise
(c) raise
(d) to raise
7 If any sudden fluctuations in currency exchange rates ______, our international profit margin will shrink.
(a) will arise
(b) raise
(c) rise
(d) arise
8 The board of directors agreed to ______ the prices of our premium services to boost Q4 profits.
(a) rising
(b) rise
(c) raise
(d) arise
9 Our domestic market share has steadily ______, but we are still struggling to expand internationally.
(a) arisen
(b) raised
(c) rose
(d) risen
10 Several major concerns were ______ by the shareholders regarding the recent drop in customer retention.
(a) risen
(b) raised
(c) arose
(d) arisen
11 The unexpected delay in overseas shipping has ______ serious doubts about our supply chain efficiency.
(a) raised
(b) raise
(c) arisen
(d) risen
12 Due to the highly successful summer campaign, the number of active users ______ beyond our initial forecast.
(a) arose
(b) rose
(c) raised
(d) was rose
13 We had to ______ the production capacity of our main factory to meet the rapidly growing demand.
(a) arise
(b) be raised
(c) rise
(d) raise
14 As global inflation ______, the purchasing power of our average consumer naturally decreases.
(a) raises
(b) rises
(c) arises
(d) are rise
15 Should any sudden legal issues ______ from this new corporate partnership, our legal team is fully prepared.
(a) raise
(b) arise
(c) to arise
(d) rise
16 The sheer volume of negative feedback on social media has ______ fears of a potential PR crisis.
(a) risen
(b) arose
(c) raised
(d) arisen
17 By the end of September, our quarterly net income had ______ to a record-breaking $5 million.
(a) raised
(b) rose
(c) risen
(d) arisen
18 A fierce disagreement ______ among the executives when the Q3 bonus cuts were unexpectedly announced.
(a) arose
(b) raised
(c) was arisen
(d) rose
19 Senior management explicitly promised that they would not ______ the monthly sales targets again this year.
(a) arise
(b) rise
(c) raised
(d) raise
20 It is remarkable how quickly the stock value of our technology division ______ immediately after the product launch.
(a) raised
(b) rised
(c) arose
(d) rose
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (c) rose
- Why it is correct: Revenue naturally increases numerically. We use the intransitive verb “rise” in the past simple tense (rose).
- Distractor Analysis: (d) “raised” is a common mistake (requires a direct object). (b) “arose” is a meaning trap (numbers don’t “arise”). (a) “rised” is a structural error (incorrect irregular verb conjugation).
2 (b) risen
- Why it is correct: Costs increase on their own (intransitive). After the auxiliary verb “have”, we need the past participle (V3) “risen”.
- Distractor Analysis: (a) “raised” is a common mistake. (d) “arisen” is a meaning trap. (c) “rose” is a structural error (using V2 instead of V3).
3 (d) rises
- Why it is correct: Sales volume is a numerical figure moving upward. We use the intransitive verb “rises” for a singular subject in the present simple tense.
- Distractor Analysis: (a) “raises” is a common mistake. (c) “arises” is a meaning trap. (b) “is rise” is a structural error.
4 (a) raise
- Why it is correct: Increasing the marketing budget requires an active agent and a transitive verb acting on the direct object (“our marketing budget”).
- Distractor Analysis: (b) “rise” is a common mistake. (d) “arise” is a meaning trap. (c) “raising” is a structural error (requires a base verb after the modal ‘must’).
5 (b) arose
- Why it is correct: A problem is an abstract noun that happens or occurs due to objective circumstances. We use the past tense of the intransitive verb “arise” (arose).
- Distractor Analysis: (a) “raised” is a common mistake. (d) “rose” is a meaning trap (problems don’t physically move up or increase in value). (c) “was arisen” is a structural error (intransitive verbs cannot be passive).
6 (c) raise
- Why it is correct: “Raise a question” is a standard workplace collocation. We need a transitive verb to act on the direct object (“a question”).
- Distractor Analysis: (a) “rise” is a common mistake. (b) “arise” is a meaning trap. (d) “to raise” is a structural error.
7 (d) arise
- Why it is correct: Fluctuations are situations/events that happen. In a First Conditional ‘if’ clause, we use the present simple tense “arise”.
- Distractor Analysis: (b) “raise” is a common mistake. (c) “rise” is a meaning trap (the fluctuations themselves occur; they don’t increase). (a) “will arise” is a structural error.
8 (c) raise
- Why it is correct: “To increase prices” — the prices are the direct object receiving the action. Must use the transitive verb “raise”.
- Distractor Analysis: (b) “rise” is a common mistake. (d) “arise” is a meaning trap. (a) “rising” is a structural error.
9 (d) risen
- Why it is correct: Market share increases numerically on its own. Use the intransitive “rise” in its V3 form (“risen”).
- Distractor Analysis: (b) “raised” is a common mistake. (a) “arisen” is a meaning trap. (c) “rose” is a structural error.
10 (b) raised
- Why it is correct: This is the passive voice (“were raised by…”). Only transitive verbs (raise) have objects that can be turned into passive subjects.
- Distractor Analysis: (a) “risen” is a common mistake. (d) “arisen” is a meaning trap. (c) “arose” is a structural error.
11 (a) raised
- Why it is correct: The delay (subject) actively provoked or caused doubts (“raised doubts” – direct object).
- Distractor Analysis: (d) “risen” is a common mistake. (c) “arisen” is a meaning trap (doubts can arise on their own, but here a clear subject actively caused them). (b) “raise” is a structural error.
12 (b) rose
- Why it is correct: The number of users (“the number of active users”) increases numerically. We use the intransitive verb “rose”.
- Distractor Analysis: (c) “raised” is a common mistake. (a) “arose” is a meaning trap. (d) “was rose” is a structural error.
13 (d) raise
- Why it is correct: Increasing production capacity (“the production capacity” is the object) requires the transitive verb “raise”.
- Distractor Analysis: (c) “rise” is a common mistake. (a) “arise” is a meaning trap. (b) “be raised” is a structural error.
14 (b) rises
- Why it is correct: Inflation is an economic indicator that increases on its own.
- Distractor Analysis: (a) “raises” is a common mistake. (c) “arises” is a meaning trap. (d) “are rise” is a structural error.
15 (b) arise
- Why it is correct: Legal issues occur or happen. This is an inverted conditional structure (Should + S + V-inf), requiring the verb “arise”.
- Distractor Analysis: (a) “raise” is a common mistake. (d) “rise” is a meaning trap. (c) “to arise” is a structural error.
16 (c) raised
- Why it is correct: The volume of feedback actively caused or increased fear (“raised fears” – direct object).
- Distractor Analysis: (a) “risen” is a common mistake. (d) “arisen” is a meaning trap. (b) “arose” is a structural error.
17 (c) risen
- Why it is correct: Net income naturally increases to reach $5 million. Use the V3 “risen” after the auxiliary “had”.
- Distractor Analysis: (a) “raised” is a common mistake. (d) “arisen” is a meaning trap. (b) “rose” is a structural error.
18 (a) arose
- Why it is correct: A fierce disagreement is an abstract situation that happens, occurs, or breaks out.
- Distractor Analysis: (b) “raised” is a common mistake. (d) “rose” is a meaning trap. (c) “was arisen” is a structural error.
19 (d) raise
- Why it is correct: To increase sales targets (“the monthly sales targets” is the object) requires an active agent and the transitive verb “raise”.
- Distractor Analysis: (b) “rise” is a common mistake. (a) “arise” is a meaning trap. (c) “raised” is a structural error (needs the bare infinitive after ‘would’).
20 (d) rose
- Why it is correct: Stock value increases numerically on its own. Use the past tense “rose”.
- Distractor Analysis: (a) “raised” is a common mistake. (c) “arose” is a meaning trap. (b) “rised” is a structural error.
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
In the context of Financial Reports and numerical charts, remember these core rules:
1 RISE (Rise – Rose – Risen): NATURAL UPWARD GROWTH
- Rule: INTRANSITIVE (Never takes a direct object).
- Application: Used when the SUBJECT ITSELF IS A NUMBER OR INDICATOR moving upward on a chart. No one is acting as the direct object.
- Common Contexts: Revenue, Costs, Prices, Inflation, Market share, Sales volume + RISE.
2 RAISE (Raise – Raised – Raised): CAUSING AN INCREASE OR BRINGING UP
- Rule: TRANSITIVE (Must take a direct object immediately after).
- Application: Used when an agent (a person, a company) actively changes or pulls a number up, OR actively brings up an issue/question.
- Common Contexts: We raise prices, Management raises the budget, Raise a question/concern.
3 ARISE (Arise – Arose – Arisen): THE OCCURRENCE OF ISSUES
- Rule: INTRANSITIVE (Never takes a direct object).
- Application: Completely unrelated to physical charts, physical movement, or numerical growth. Used for abstract situations or difficulties that occur/happen naturally.
- Common Contexts: Problems, Issues, Complications, Fluctuations + ARISE.