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Whether to use lay vs. lie is one of the most confusing decisions in the English language. They have similar meanings—someone or something is in a horizontal position—but choosing which one to use depends on whether there’s a direct object or not.
Keep reading to find out what the difference between lay and lie is, and stick around for the mini quiz at the end of this blog post to test your knowledge.
Table of Contents
Meaning of Lay
Lay is a transitive verb that means to put something down or set something down in a flat position.
A transitive verb must have a direct object. A direct object denotes the receiver of the action of the verb. Someone or something is being set down.
Meaning of Lie
Lie is an intransitive verb that means to be or to stay at rest in a horizontal position.
An intransitive verb never takes a direct object.
Examples of Lay and Lie in a Sentence
Here’s a table that breaks down how each verb is conjugated. I’ll provide an example of each of them so you can see them in action.
| Present Tense | Past Tense | Past Participle | Present Participle |
| Lay | Laid | Laid | Laying |
| Lie | Lay | Lain | Lying |
Present Tense:
Lay: Lay your coat on the bed and then come join the party.
Lie: Lie down and get some rest.
As you can see, the sentence with lay has a direct object (coat), whereas the sentence with lie doesn’t.
Past Tense:
Lay: She laid her coffee mug down slowly so she wouldn’t spill a drop.
Lie: He lay down for an hour before the party began.
This is where people get confused. Lay is the past tense of the verb lie, but it’s not the same thing as the transitive verb lay. Here there is no direct object. In this context, lay is often followed by the word down.
Some people use lied incorrectly as the past tense of lie. Lied is only the past tense of lie when it has the meaning “to tell an untruth.” Lie is a homograph because it has several different meanings, but each word is spelled the same.
Past Participle:
Lay: He had laid out a picnic blanket to surprise her.
Lie: She had lain in the sun for hours reading her book and enjoying life.
Present Participle:
Lay: They spent all day laying concrete in the new house.
Lie: She was still lying in the sun when he got back from the shops.
Note the spelling here: it’s lying not lieing.
All of the sentences related to lay have a direct object: a coat, a coffee mug, a picnic blanket, and concrete. All of the sentences related to lie have no direct object. The subject of those sentences is moving on their own or is already in position.
Three Tricks to Understanding If You Need to Use Lay vs. Lie
There are three simple tricks to understanding if you need to use lay or lie.
- Determine whether there is a direct object or not. If there is a direct object, you need to use lay. If there is no direct object, you need to use lie.
- Remember that lay is usually followed by a noun, but lie is usually followed by the word down.
- Sound it out. Lay has an a sound like the a sound in place (i.e., to place or lay something on the ground). Lie has an i sound that sounds like the i sound in recline (i.e., to recline or lie down on the sofa).
Grammar Posts
Different From vs. Different Than
Lay vs. Lie Quiz
Choose the correct word in each sentence. You can find the answers at the bottom of this blog post.
- The doctor told you to lay/lie down!
- He laid/lay his wallet on the ground and backed away.
- Mark had laid/lain there for long enough; it was time to get up.
- The dog kept laying/lying his toy in front of her until she took the bait.
- Lay/Lie your pencils down and look at the board.
Final Thoughts on Lay vs. Lie
Lay vs. lie is a confusing one, but if you keep those three tricks in mind and remember how each verb is conjugated, you’ll be able to figure out which word you need. You can always refer back to this chapter if you get stuck.
Looking for Resources to Improve Your Grammar?
When it comes to grammar, it’s no harm to regularly refresh your memory. Language changes over time, and sometimes we hold on to grammar myths because we don’t know any better. I regularly read books and blogs and take grammar courses to refresh my memory.
If you’re looking for a grammar course to take, I recommend Grammar Lion! It doesn’t feel like you’re back in school thanks to the fun quizzes at the beginning and end of each module. ***As of June 1, 2022, Grammar Lion’s tuition fee has been reduced to $67 to make it more accessible to people who want to improve their grammar!***
Commas in particular tripping you up? Take this free comma course to refresh your knowledge.
Check out my review of Grammar Lion here.
Lay vs. Lie Quiz Answers
- The doctor told you to lie down!
- He laid his wallet on the ground and backed away.
- Mark had lain there for long enough; it was time to get up.
- The dog kept laying his toy in front of her until she took the bait.
- Lay your pencils down and look at the board.
Punctuation Posts
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En Dash vs. Em Dash: When and How to Use Them
How to Use an Apostrophe (and Mistakes You Need to Avoid)
How to Use Commas (and Mistakes to Avoid)
Colon vs. Semicolon: When and How to Use Them
How to Use Quotation Marks (and the Difference between Single Quotes vs. Double Quotes)
