Lay vs Lie
Download Free PDF Worksheet
In Worksheet 1, students circle the correct answer. In Worksheet 2, students must circle the correct form of the verb (lie, lay) and rewrite the sentence using the correct form in the correct tense.
| Worksheet 1, Lay vs Lie, 11 Exercises |
| Worksheet 2, Lay vs Lie, 17 Exercises |
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Lie or Lay: Why the Confusion?
Many native and non-native speakers of English alike do not understand the difference between using the word lie and using the word lay. This worksheet attempts to clarify the difference.
Both "lie" and "lay" are verbs, meaning that they indicate an action of some sort. However, the verb "lie" and the verb "lay" are two absolutely different words, like rhinoceros and apple.
They are not variants of the same word.
Transitive and Intransitive Verbs
If we want to use formal grammatical terms (and we must), the verb lie is "intransitive"; the verb lay is "transitive."
The Verb "Lay"
A "transitive" verb indicates that something is being done to someone or something. For example, take a look at the following sentence:
Transitive Verb (lay): Every morning, I lay the newspaper on the table.
I (the subject) do something to the newspaper (direct object) every morning. I lay ("place" or "put")the newspaper on the table. The word lay is the verb (in the present tense), and the noun newspaper is the thing that something is done to (the direct object).
Think of it this way: You have to lay something.
The Verb "Lie"
An "intransitive" verb, on the other hand, does not indicate that anything is being done to anything or anyone. The person or thing does the action of just lying (NOT laying) there.
Intransitive Verb (lie): In the afternoon, my dog, Maxi, lies on the living room couch.
Maxi is not doing anything to anyone or anything. Maxi is simply lying on the couch; the verb lie is "intransitive."
A common error occurs when parents tell children, incorrectly, to "lay" down. Sadly, the children grow up thinking that this use of lay is correct, thus perpetuating the cycle of misuse.
Incorrect: Scott, I want you to lay down this minute or you have a time out.
Correct: Scott, I want you to lie down this minute or you have a time out.
So What Causes All This Confusion?
People do not confuse the words rhinoceros and apple, so why do people confuse the verbs "lie" and "lay"? Well, both words start with the letter "L" and are made up of three letters. And they both mean similar things.
After all, if you LAY an apple on the table, the apple LIES on the table. And if you LAY a rhinoceros,.... Well, let's just not go there.
Unfortunately, these two verbs have different forms, and those different forms cause some confusion.
Take a Look at the Following Table
| Base Form | Past Tense | Past Participle | Present Participle |
|---|---|---|---|
| lie (to stretch out, recline) | lay | lain | lying |
| lay (to place, to put) | laid | laid | laying |
The past tense of the verb "lie" is "lay," as in "Yesterday, Maxi lay on the living room couch."
Even though we use the letters l-a-y, the actual verb is "lie"; it's just in the past tense. Do you understand this? If not, the following examples may help.
Correct Forms of LIE
- Jerry lies on the bed every day after school.
- The dog just lay on the rug as the burglars ransacked the house.
- That apple has lain on the table for two days now.
- Roberta is lying on the recliner in the family room.
Correct Forms of LAY
- Jerry lays his head on the pillow when he lies in bed.
- Susan laid her books down when she walked through the door.
- The contractors have laid the tile in the kitchen.
- The President is laying the foundation for comprehensive health reform.
For more information, check out the links below and the worksheet.
Links for the Correct Use of Lie or Lay
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