The English verbs LIE and LAY are easily confused. This is true for native and non-native speakers alike! Here is the main reason why -The past tense of “lie” is “lay.” Confusing right? Don’t worry, this blog post will help you understand the conjugations and meanings of the verbs LIE and LAY. (Plus helpful tips for remembering the difference.)
Lie means – to be in a horizontal position (Intransitive)
The past tense of LIE is LAY. – “I LAY down for a quick nap after lunch.”
Lay means – to put or place something down (Transitive)
The past tense of LAY is LAID. – “Daniel carefully LAID the books on his desk.”
This post has everything you need to master this verb grammar. Helpful examples, images, video, and free Quiz PDF Download. Keep reading.
LIE or LAY? Confusing English Verbs
LIE or LAY? Confusing English Verbs
Table of Contents
- Lie Vs Lay
- Lie Vs Lay – Verb Conjugation (with examples)
- The verb LIE
- The verb LAY
- The Verb “lie” (Different Meaning)
- The Verb “lay” (Different Meaning)
- FAQ Frequently Asked Question
- Lie/Lay Down Phrasal Verbs
- Lie Vs. Lay Quiz PDF Download
Lie Vs Lay
The verbs “lie” and “lay” are often confused because they are related in meaning and form. “Lie” means “to recline” or “to be in a horizontal position,” while “lay” means “to put or place something down.“
It can be helpful to remember that “lie” is an intransitive verb. It does not have an object.
- “I lie down.” (no object)
“Lay” is a transitive verb. It will always have an object.
- “I lay the book on the table.” (the book is the object)
| The past tense of lie is lay (Intransitive verb – it does not have an object) |
| “I LAY down for a quick nap after lunch.” |
| The verb LAY is followed by the adverb down, not a direct object. |
| The past tense of lay is laid (Transitive verb – it is followed by a direct object) |
| Daniel carefully LAID the books on his desk. |
| The verb LAID is followed by the direct object the books. |
You can do a deeper dive end to this verb grammar at my post here >> Transitive and Intransitive Verbs (with PDF and Video)
Lie Vs Lay – Verb Conjugation (with examples)
The verb LIE
The verb LIE means to be or put yourself in a flat position so that you are not standing or sitting
lie1_1 verb -OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com
Below are the various conjugations of this verb with example sentences.
Infinitive TO LIE
- I’m so tired, I just need to lie down and close my eyes for 15 minutes.
Present Simple LIE
- I lie down for a nap every afternoon.
Present Simple (Third Person Singular) LIES
- She lies on the couch and watches TV.
Past Tense LAY
(“Lie” is an irregular verb. Its past tense and past participle do not end in _ED.)
- I lay down for a nap yesterday.
- Andrea was so tired, she lay on the couch and fell asleep in 30 seconds.
Past Participle LAIN
- The goats on our farm love the shady side of the hill. They have lain there every afternoon this summer. (present perfect tense)
Continuous LYING
- When I got to Steven’s house he was lying on the couch reading a book.
The verb LAY
LAY means to put somebody/something in a particular position, especially when it is done gently or carefully
*Remember that LAY is a transitive verb so it will always be followed by a direct object.
lay_1 verb – OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com
Infinitive TO LAY
- Let’s get to the park before it becomes too crowded. I want to lay our picnic blanket under the big tree.
Present Simple LAY
- I lay the book on the table.
Present Simple (Third Person Singular) LAYS
- She lays the baby in the crib.
Past Tense LAID
- I laid my books on the table.
- She gently laid the baby in the crib.
Past Participle LAID
- She has laid the baby down for a nap. (present perfect tense)
- They had laid all the cards on the table before the meeting began. (past perfect tense)
- He had laid his book on the shelf before he left the room. (past perfect tense)
Continuous LAYING
- A gardener was laying new grass in the park this morning. He was replacing a patch of yellow grass under the tree.
The Verb “lie” (Different Meaning)
Lie can also mean to say or write something that you know is not true
lie2_1 verb – OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com
This version of lie is a regular verb so the conjugation is different than our first version. This means that the past tense and the past participle are both lied.
Please look at the conjugation examples below.
Infinitive TO LIE
- I didn’t want to lie but I felt I had no choice.
Present Simple LIE
- I lie about my age sometimes.
Present Simple (Third Person Singular) LIES
- She lies to her parents about where she’s going.
Past Tense LIED
- I lied about my age on my resume.
Past Participle LIED
- She has lied to her parents many times. (present perfect tense)
Continuous LYING
- I never believe Malcolm, he’s always lying about something.
The Verb “lay” (Different Meaning)
Lay can also mean to produce eggs (for animals)
– This version of LAY is also Transitive. It has the same conjugation as our first version.
Infinitive TO LAY
- It’s common for laying hens to lay one egg every day.
Present Simple LAY
- My best chicken will sometimes lay 2 eggs in a day!
Did you know? Per person, Japan consumes the most eggs every year. The average person in Japan eats about 320 eggs per year. That is almost one egg per day. SOURCE
Present Simple (Third Person Singular) LAYS
- She lays eggs for us to eat.
(“Lay” is an irregular verb. Its past tense and past participle do not end in _ED.)
Past Tense LAID
- The eagle laid its eggs and then flew off in search of food.
Past Participle LAIN
- I collected some new-lain eggs for our breakfast.
Continuous LAYING
- It’s been very hot this summer. The hens are not laying well.
A hen is a female chicken and a male is a rooster. Rooster is one of the 12 animals in the Chinese Zodiac. You can find some common Rooster Idioms here >> Idioms with Rooster (Definitions, REAL Examples, and Video)
FAQ Frequently Asked Question
What is the Past Tense of Lying?
Lying is the continuous tense of the verb LIE. The past continuous tense is was/were lying.
Remember LIE is an intransitive verb while LAY is a transitive verb. Let’s review our example sentences from above.
- When I got to Steven’s house he was lying on the couch watching TV.
– Lying is the continuous tense of the verb LIE. It is an intransitive verb that is not followed by a direct object. Intransitive verbs are sometimes followed by prepositions. In this sentence, was lying is followed by the position on.
Was lying is the past continuous tense of the verb LIE.
Any verb conjugation of LAY will be followed by a direct object.
- A gardener was laying new grass in the park this morning. He was replacing a patch of yellow grass under the tree.
– Laying is the continuous past tense of the verb LAY. A transitive verb will be followed by the direct object. The direct object in this sentence is new grass.
Was laying is the past continuous tense of the verb LAY.
Some more examples.
- My friends and I were lying on the beach when a huge wave came in suddenly and got us wet.
- As the unsuspecting Antelope came close, the lion was lying in wait.
- The dog was lying in the shade to escape the heat.
- Several workmen were laying the foundation for the new building.
- The painter was laying down a fresh coat of paint on the walls.
- My chickens were laying eggs in the hen house.
Lie/Lay Down Phrasal Verbs
“Lie down” is a phrasal verb that means to assume a horizontal position, usually in bed or on a surface such as a couch.
It is made with the verb “lie” and the adverb “down.” The adverb “down” describes how the action of “lying” is performed.
Here are some example sentences using “lie down” –
- I’m feeling really tired, so I think I’ll lie down for a while.
- The doctor told the patient to lie down on the examination table.
- After the long hike, we all lay down on the grass and enjoyed the sunset. (Past tense)
- My dog always lies down on its bed as soon as we get home after a walk.
“Lay down” is a phrasal verb that means to put something in a horizontal position or to place something on a surface. It can also refer to causing someone or something to be in this position.
Here are some example sentences using “lay down” –
*NOTE – LAY DOWN is commonly used as a separable phrasal verb. This means we can put the object in between the verb lay and the adverb down.
- Can you lay the blanket down on the grass for me?
- She carefully laid the newborn baby down in the crib.
- He laid his guitar down on the stand and sat down on the couch.
- I need to lay these papers down on the table so I can sort through them.
- The teacher told the students to lay their pens down and listen to her.
Lie Vs. Lay Quiz PDF Download
This Quiz PDF has 10 LIE or LAY questions to test your English. Great for self-study or class work offline.
Lie Vs. Lay Quiz PDF
More helpful Confusing English posts are waiting for you below…
- LIE or LAY? All Tenses (Easy to remember tips, PDF, Video)
- The Difference Between Affect And Effect (Examples-PDF-Video)
- There IS or There ARE? Correct this Grammar (Video + PDF)
- I Walked Or I Took A Walk? (Video and Free PDF)
- Good Vs Well (Examples-Audio/Video-Quiz-PDF-Infographic)
- WEAR or PUT ON? (Examples, Video, QUIZ worksheet, FAQ)
- How to Use the prepositions IN AT ON (Graphics, Story, Videos)
Related
FAQs
What is the trick to remember lay vs lie? ›
The a sound in lay sounds like the one in place, as in to place an object, whereas the i sound in lie sounds like the one in recline, as in to recline on a sofa. Another way to help you decide is to remember that lay will typically be followed by a noun, whereas lie will typically be followed by the word down.
What is the difference between lay and lie tenses? ›The past tense of to lie is lay, and the past participle is lain. To lie is an intransitive verb and does not have a direct object. In the above examples, the intransitive verb lie does not take any direct objects because the action is not being transferred to anything.
How do you teach lay and lie? ›A hen lays eggs, but a dog lies down.
It just doesn't sound right. Use that same concept anytime you're wondering whether “lay” is the right word. Figure out if your sentence has a “hen” and an “egg.” If so, use “lay.” Otherwise, use “lie.”
- Simple Present Tense.
- Present Continuous Tense.
- Present Perfect Tense.
- Present Perfect Continuous Tense.
- Simple Past Tense.
- Past Continuous Tense.
- Past Perfect Tense.
- Past Perfect Continuous Tense.
- DO: Maintain your baseline. Stay calm. ...
- DON'T: Swallow hard. Swallowing hard is a giveaway. ...
- DO: Breathe normally. Inhale, exhale. ...
- DON'T: Touch your skin. ...
- DO: Lean in. ...
- DON'T: Shorten the syntax of words. ...
- DO: Try not to sweat. ...
- DON'T: Say "I don't lie"
The reason for this is probably the illusion of truth effect, which is explained by one of the authors, Sean Lane: “They're confusing the familiarity of the repetition [with the truth], not realizing that those repeated denials are what makes it seem familiar 48 hours later.”
Do you lay or lie on the couch? ›Is It Laying on the Couch or Lying on the Couch? Similarly, when you are in the horizontal position on your couch, you are lying on the couch. Since the couch is a more or less flat surface for you to lie on, “lying” is the correct present participle describing your condition at that moment.
Does a dog lie down or lay down? ›Also, don't tell your dog, “Lay down,” or you risk teaching your pet bad grammar! The correct command is “Lie down.”
Do you lay down or lie down on bed? ›What's the difference between lay and lie? You lie down, but you lay something down. Lie does not require a direct object. Lay requires a direct object.
What are the four types of lying? ›- Deceitful.
- Duplicitous.
- Delusional.
- Demoralized.
What is the key to lying? ›
Key points
One study showed that the most successful liars are better at controlling their nonverbal signals, such as eye contact and gestures. One thing that tends to trip up liars is when they give different information to different people, who then compare notes.
Like everything else, children learn to lie from the people around them. Parents and teachers show children in subtle — and not so subtle — ways to suppress their honesty. "Look at that funny man," a child will yell. "I don't like this," she'll say of Grandma's gift.
What is the easiest way to teach tenses? ›- Use the tense grid. Introducing tenses to students can be tough. ...
- Teach a single time frame at a time. It is essential to slow down during transitions. ...
- Practice a time frame before moving on to the next. ...
- Distinguish between the simple, continuous, and perfect. ...
- Take time with the tricky tenses. ...
- Revision.
...
Types of Tense.
| Tense | Forms | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Present Tense | Present Continuous Tense | He has driven a car |
| Present Perfect Continuous Tense | He has been driving a car since morning | |
| Past Tense | Simple Past Tense | He drove a car |
| Past Perfect Tense | He was driving a car |
There are three main verb tenses: past, present, and future. In English, each of these tenses can take four main aspects: simple, perfect, continuous (also known as progressive), and perfect continuous. The perfect aspect is formed using the verb to have, while the continuous aspect is formed using the verb to be.
How do you lie perfectly without getting caught? ›- Trust Your Skills.
- Stick to Your Story.
- Keep Your Lies Believable.
- Avoid Knowing Things You Don't Want to Reveal.
- Keep Your Mouth Shut.
- Respect Repetition.
- Ground Statements in Truth.
- Keep it Light.
- Find triggers.
- Know your lie type.
- Set boundaries.
- Consider the worst.
- Start small.
- Maintain privacy.
- Evaluate the goal.
- Learn acceptance.
Even little fibs can have serious consequences — and some of them just might surprise you. Like Pinocchio, everyone sometimes tells a lie. Most people don't lie often, science finds. But research shows that even small lies can take a toll on your brain.
Does lie affect the brain? ›Lying Changes the Brain
Nature Neuroscience reported a study of the amygdala, the part of the brain dealing with emotional responses. The researchers said the amygdala shows up less and less, as we lie more and more. Essentially, our guilt feelings tend to weaken and shrink.
These hacks and shortcuts (referred to as cognitive errors, in psychology) can lead our brains to essentially tell us lies and lead us to make errors in our thinking, decisions and interpretations. In turn, this distorted thinking can show up in the way in which we behave, the actions we take or the actions we avoid.
Do you lay or lie by the pool? ›
Use “lay” when an object is being placed, and use “lie” when something or someone is reclining on its own or already in a reclined position. “My dog could lie there all day.” There is no direct object.
Is it laying by the pool or lying by the pool? ›If you mean to put or to place, use lay. If you mean to rest or to recline, use lie. If you're good with direct objects, know that to lay requires an object to complete the meaning and to lie does not require one.
Is it lay on the beach or lie on the beach? ›The -ing form is lying and the past simple is lay. The -ed form, lain, is very formal and is rarely used: I love to lie on a beach and read. She lay on the bed and gazed at the ceiling, daydreaming.
Do objects lay or lie? ›The major confusion with “laying” vs. “lying,” in addition to their similar spellings and sounds, is that they also both refer to something being in a horizontal position. But the big difference is that while “lying” doesn't need an object, “laying” does.
Is it laid flat or layed flat? ›Although “layed” is an extremely popular variant spelling of the past tense of transitive “lay,” “laid” is the traditional spelling in all contexts.
Do dogs sleep belly up? ›The Belly Up
As uncomfortable as this position may look, this is a sign of true comfort and relaxation in dogs. Meaning: Dogs who sleep on their back with their tummy and paws in the air do so for a few reasons. One of them is to keep cool.
88.6 % of reported lies in the study were described as “little white lies,” and 11.4 % were characterized as “big lies.” An example of a “little white lie” would be saying you like a gift you really don't, and an example of a “big lie” would be insincerely declaring "I love you" to someone.
What is a GREY lie? ›Gray lies were said to consist of lies that were ambiguous in nature or held the characteristics of a real lie yet were still viewed as justifiable given the circumstance. These results, their practical and theoretical implications, and areas for future research are discussed.
What is a blue lie? ›These lies are so common that they have acquired a specific name, the 'blue lie' (purportedly originating from cases where police officers made false statements to protect the police force or to ensure the success of the government's legal case against an accused; Barnes, 1994).
What are the 7 reasons to lie? ›...
7 reasons why people lie
- To create excitement. ...
- To pacify or appease others. ...
- To get rewards. ...
- To avoid punishment. ...
- To get attention. ...
- To get sympathy. ...
- To test trust.
What does the Bible say about lying? ›
Biblical passages
One of the Ten Commandments is "thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour"; for this reason, lying is generally considered a sin in Christianity.
- A Change in Speech Patterns. One telltale sign someone may not be telling the whole truth is irregular speech. ...
- The Use of Non-Congruent Gestures. ...
- Not Saying Enough. ...
- Saying Too Much. ...
- An Unusual Rise or Fall in Vocal Tone. ...
- Direction of Their Eyes. ...
- Covering Their Mouth or Eyes. ...
- Excessive Fidgeting.
The most common mistake is to use "lie" instead of "lay." If you remember that "lie" cannot take a direct object, then you will eliminate this error. To lay your head on the pillow. To lie your head on the pillow. (In these examples, "your head" is the direct object.
What are the two ways to spell lie? ›| Tense | Lie | Lay |
|---|---|---|
| Present | Lie | Lay |
| Past | Lay | Laid |
| Past Participle | Lain | Laid |
- Consider the reason behind the lie or betrayal. When you've been lied to, you might not care much about the reasons behind it. ...
- Communicate, communicate, communicate. ...
- Practice forgiveness. ...
- Avoid dwelling on the past.
What's the difference between lay and lie? You lie down, but you lay something down. Lie does not require a direct object. Lay requires a direct object.
Do I lay in bed or lie in bed? ›Lay means "to place something down flat," while lie means "to be in a flat position on a surface." The key difference is that lay is transitive and requires an object to act upon, and lie is intransitive, describing something moving on its own or already in position.
What is the 3 form of lie? ›lie, lied, lied, lying
In the sense "to tell a lie, say something that is not true", lie is a regular verb and has no direct object.
Some common synonyms of lie are equivocate, fib, palter, and prevaricate. While all these words mean "to tell an untruth," lie is the blunt term, imputing dishonesty. lied about where he had been. When could equivocate be used to replace lie?
What are the four forms of lie? ›Lie, Lying, Lied, Lied. "Lie" is an intransitive verb meaning "to rest" or "to be at rest." Its forms are: lie, lying, lay, lain.