Lay and lie, sit and set, and raise and rise cause problems for many writers because both verbs in each pair have similar-sounding forms and related meanings. In each pair, one of the verbs is transitive, meaning that it takes a direct object; the other is intransitive, meaning that it does not take an object. The best way to avoid confusing the two is to memorize their forms and meanings. All these verbs except raise are irregular.
| BASE FORM | PAST TENSE | PAST PARTICIPLE | PRESENT PARTICIPLE | -S FORM |
| lie (recline) | lay | lain | lying | lies |
| lay (put) | laid | laid | laying | lays |
| sit (be seated) | sat | sat | sitting | sits |
| set (put) | set | set | setting | sets |
| rise (get up) | rose | risen | rising | rises |
| raise (lift) | raised | raised | raising | raises |
Lie is intransitive and means “recline” or “be situated.” Lay is transitive and means “put” or “place.” This pair is especially confusing because lay is also the past-tense form of lie.
| INTRANSITIVE | He lay on the floor when his back ached. |
| TRANSITIVE | I laid the cloth on the table. |
Sit is intransitive and means “be seated.” Set usually is transitive and means “put” or “place.”
| INTRANSITIVE | She sat in the rocking chair. |
| TRANSITIVE | We set the bookshelf in the hallway. |
Rise is intransitive and means “get up” or “go up.” Raise is transitive and means “lift” or “cause to go up.”
| INTRANSITIVE | He rose up in bed and glared at me. |
| TRANSITIVE | He raised his hand eagerly. |