How to Know the Difference Between Lie and Lay

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It is not that these two words are from very different roots. In contrast to many English words, which are from Latin/French origin, both words are from the Old English (Germanic) root licgan, which means a sleeping place. The word lair is also from the same root. Differentiating usage of lie and lay sometimes becomes difficult. Another word lie meaning false claim which is completely from a different root, adds to the difficulty.

Steps

  1.   Know that lay is a regular verb; that is, it is easy to remember its past and perfect participle.
    • Past participle : Laid.
    • Perfect participle : Laid.
    • Gerund : Laying.
    • Subjective Noun : Layer (as in brick-layer).
  2.   Contrast lie as an irregular verb; that is, one should memorise its past and perfect participle.
    • Past participle : Lay.
    • Perfect participle : Lain.
    • Gerund : Lying.
    • Subjective Noun : Not possible.
  3.   Keep in mind that Lay is a transitive verb; that is, it needs an object to act on.
    • I laid my head on the desk for a minute. (lay, laid, laid, laying)
    • I laid the book on the floor. (lay, laid, laid, laying)
  4.   Remember, though, that lie is intransitive; that is, it does not need an object. Not only it does not need an object but that it does not accept an object to act on.
    • His noble head had lain on the pillow, talking calmly. (lie, lay, lain, lying)
    • I lay on the sandy ground and gazed at stars. (lie, lay, lain, lying)
  5.   Contrast lie meaning to say something false. It is a regular verb; that is, it is easy to remember its past and perfect participle.
    • Past participle : Lied.
    • Perfect participle : Lied.
    • Gerund : Lying
    • Subjective noun : Liar

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