EIGHT TROUBLESOME VERBSUsing Verbs Correctly

SIT VS. SET~sit = “to be seated” or “to rest”. ~set = “to place” or “to put”.

Examples:• Who is sitting on the blanket by the pool?• Teresa is setting the lawn chairs by the pool. Three boys sat on the platform. The boys set the instruments on the platform. We had sat on the pier for an hour before Suzanne arrived

with the bait. I had set the bucket of bait on the pier.

Base Form Present Participle

Past Past Participle

sit (is) sitting sat (have) sat

set (is) setting set (have) set

SIT VS. SET

1. Darnell and I _____ down to play a game of chess.

2. After we had been _____ for a while, he decided to make bread.

3. After Darnell had _____ out the ingredients, he mixed them.

4. We had not _____ the pan in the oven.

5. Then, we almost _____ too long.

sat

set

sitting

set

sat

RISE VS. RAISE~rise = “to move upward” or “to go up”.

~raise = “to lift something up”.

Examples:• The fans were rising to sing the national anthem.• Fans were raising signs and banners. The student rose to ask a question. The student raised a good question. Prices had risen. The store had raised prices.

Base Form Present Participle

Past Past Participle

rise (is) rising rose (have) risen

raise (is) raising raised (have) raised

THUMBS UP THUMBS DOWN

Mount Everest rises over 29,000 feet.

He raises the flag at sunrise.

The TV reporter rose her voice to be heard.

She rose from her seat and looked out the window.

The constellation Orion had not yet raised in the southern sky.

raised

risen

LIE VS. LAY~lie = “to recline” or “to be in place”. Doesn’t take an

object.~lay = “to place” or “to put”. Usually takes an object.

Examples:• The silverware is lying on the table.• The waiter is laying silverware beside each plate. The apple dolls lay drying in the sun. Aunt Martha laid her apple dolls in the sun to dry. That bicycle had lain in the driveway for a week. Bill had laid that bicycle in the driveway.

Base Form Present Participle

Past Past Participle

lie (is) lying lay (have) lain

lay (is) laying laid (have) laid

LIE VS. LAY

1. If you are tired, _____ down for a while.

2. _____ your pencils down, please.

3. Two huge dogs _____ by the fire last night.

4. The cat has been _____ on the new bedspread.

5. He had _____ your coats on the bed in my room.

lie

laid

lying

lay

Lay

LET VS. LEAVE~let = means ‘allow’~lay = means ‘go away’

Examples:• The coach let her join the team.• Mother wants to leave after the movie. We let the new boy join our baseball game

yesterday. Yesterday, we left after the first bell rang. The school had let many students come in early. Mary had left her homework home.

Base Form Present Participle

Past Past Participle

let (is) letting let (had) let

leave (is) leaving left (had) left