Grammar choices
Lay vs. Lie
Lay means to put something down and needs an object: lay the book here. Lie means to rest flat, with no object: lie on the couch. Careful: lay is also the past tense of lie.
| Word | Part of speech | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| lay | verb | to put or place something down, usually flat; it always takes an object |
| lie | verb | to be in or move into a flat resting position; it never takes an object |
| verb | to say something you know is false; the past tense is lied |
Lay
verb: to put or place something down, usually flat; it always takes an object
- Please lay the towels on the bed.
- Yesterday Omar laid new tiles in the bathroom.
Lie
verb: to be in or move into a flat resting position; it never takes an object
- I need to lie down after that long shift.
- The cat lay in the sun all afternoon yesterday.
verb: to say something you know is false; the past tense is lied
- Never lie to your doctor about how much you exercise.
- The toddler lied about eating the cookies, but the crumbs gave him away.
How to remember the difference
Lay has an A, like place: you place or lay something. Lie has an I, like recline: you recline or lie down.
Good to know
Forms: lay, laid, laid, laying. Lie (rest), lay, lain, lying. Lie (say something false), lied, lied, lying. In casual speech many people say lay down for lie down, but in edited writing use lie.
Spot the mistake
I'm going to
laylie down for a few minutes.Correct: I'm going to lie down for a few minutes.
She
laidlay on the beach for hours yesterday.Correct: She lay on the beach for hours yesterday.
Check yourself
Pick the word that fits each sentence.
1. Please the baby gently in the crib.
Answer: lay. You are placing something (the baby), so the verb with an object, lay, fits.
2. On hot days, our dog likes to in the shade.
Answer: lie. The dog rests by itself with no object, so the verb is lie.