LAY or LIE?

Lay is a regular verb (lay-laid-laid) "you lay something down,

It's transitive (takes an object)
people lie down by themselves”
Lie is an irregular verb (lie-lay-lain)
It's intransitive (no object)

Lie (=tell a lie, not tell the truth) is a regular verb (lie-lied-lied).

lay (laid, laid)
- Hens lay eggs.
- The maid was laying the
table when I arrived.
Examples:
lie (lay, lain) lie (lied, lied)
- He lay in bed for hours. - If you lie to me, I won't
- She was lying on the floor believe in you anymore.
when I arrived. - Don't lie! Tell me the
truth!

Here's how to conjugate these two verbs:

 The past tense of lie is lay, so

Last week, Steve lay down on the floor.

The cat lay in the mud after it rained yesterday.

 The past tense of lay is laid, so

Last week, I laid the TPS report on your desk.

Mary forcefully laid her ring on the table.

 The past participle of lie is lain, so

Steve has lain on the floor for days.

The cat has lain in the mud for hours.

 The past participle of lay is laid, so

I have laid the TPS report on your desk.

Mary has forcefully laid her ring on the table.
Circle the correct option in each sentence.

1.- He was ___ when he said that he didn't see anyone there. a) lying b) laying

2.- She ___ about her experience in order to get that job. a) lay b) lied c) laid

3.- You'll feel much better if you just ___ down and rest for a while. a) lie b) lay

4.- He ___ the books on the table. a) lied b) lay c) laid

5.- The hens aren't ___ any eggs this week. a) lying b) laying

6.- Why did they ___ so many employees off at that company last year ? a) lay b) lie

7.- He___ a serious charge against his employer. a) has lied b) has laid c) has lain

8.- What I did ___ heavily on my conscience ever since. a) has lain b) has laid c) has lied

9.- The solution ___ with you. a) lies b) lays

Topic: LAY or LIE? 2 | level: Advanced

Circle one of the two choices:

Principio del formulario

1. I am going to (lay/lie) down on the couch.

2. Last night I (laid/lay) awake in bed, thinking about my life.

3. My chickens (laid/lay) 20 eggs yesterday.

4. Martha's cat (lays/lies) next to her when she reads.

5. Bill (laid/lay) his comb on the counter after he combed his hair.

6. The police officer told him to (lay/lie) down his gun.

7. Do you plan to (lay/lie) on the grass all day.

8. Don't you ever (lay/lie) a finger on him again!

9. The snake has (laid/lain) in its aquarium all day.

10. I have been (laying/lying) in the sun all day.