Lie Lay Lain
Spoken Description
Learn Lie, Lay, and Lain: clear grammar rules, verb forms, common mistakes, and example sentences. Perfect for intermediate students who want to improve clarity and accuracy with these commonly confused verbs.
Learn Lie, Lay, and Lain with clear explanations, when to use each form, the differences in meaning, and example sentences. Perfect for French speakers learning English and English learners.
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The verbs lie (to recline) and lay (to put something down) often confuse learners because they look and sound similar, but they follow different patterns and meanings.
Lie
Lie means to recline or be in a horizontal or resting position. It is intransitive, so it does not take a direct object.
Only the mattresson the floor (present)
Only the mattress _ on the floor (present)
Lay
Lay means to put or place something down. It is transitive, so it requires a direct object—the thing being laid down.
Every evening sheout her clothes for tomorrow (present)
Every evening she _ out her clothes for tomorrow (present)
Forms
Here are the principal forms of lie (recline) and lay (put down), with their past and past participle forms for each.
Lie
Lie forms are: lie (present), lay (past), and lain (past participle). Use lain after a helper verb like have.
The cat hasthere since morning (past participle)
The cat has _ there since morning (past participle)
Lay
Lay forms are: lay (present), laid (past), and laid (past participle). Use laid after a helper verb like have.
Shethe book on the table yesterday (past)
She _ the book on the table yesterday (past)
Examples
Use these examples to see lie and lay in context with their correct forms.
Summary
Remember: use lie when reclining (no object) and lay when placing something (requires object). Learn the forms so you can tell past lay from present lay.
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