. Lay and Lie, Raise and Rise, and Set and Sit

2. Lay and Lie, Raise and Rise, and Set and SitVerbs which take an object are usually called transitive verbs. Verbs which do not take an object are usually called intransitive verbs.


Many English verbs can be used either intransitively or transitively. For instance, in the sentence Most birds can fly, the verb to flyis intransitive, since it is used without an object. But in the sentence This pilot will fly the plane, the verb to fly is transitive, since it takes the object plane.


However, some English verbs can be used only intransitively. A few pairs of verbs should be noted. The two verbs of each pair have similar meanings, but one of the verbs can take an object, and the other cannot. In the following table, the verbs labeled intransitive are those which cannot take an object.

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	Infinitive	Simple Past	Past Participle
Transitive:	to lay	laid	laid
Intransitive:	to lie	lay	lain
Transitive:	to raise	raised	raised
Intransitive:	to rise	rose	risen
Transitive:	to set	set	set
Intransitive:	to sit	sat	sat