Lay vs. Lie: Learn How to Use Them in a Sentence

Key takeaways

The verbs lay and lie are a real pain, and their difference confuses even native English speakers.

While both verbs refer to being in a horizontal position, the distinction is given by the subject of the sentence:

• the subject is doing the action upon a direct object;
• the verb acts on the subject.

Still confusing, I know. Keep reading to discover how to use these verbs properly, even if you don’t teach English and it is not your first language.

Before we dive into the definitions, differences, and conjugations of lie and lay, I should clarify one thing about the verb to lie (meaning to tell an untruth with the intent to deceive or mislead). Since this definition doesn’t involve putting someone/ something down, we will exclude it from this guide.

Let’s dive in!

Lay: definition, conjugation, examples

Definition

Lay means to put someone or something down in a flat or horizontal position. As a transitive verb, it always requires a direct object to receive the action of the subject.

Remember, the verb lay requires a direct object to act upon.

Conjugation

Here are the forms of the verb lay, in the most used tenses:

Examples

Read our examples using the verb lay (the object is highlighted) and make your own sentences.

Present

Please lay the presentation on my desk before Friday.

He lays the project timeline before every meeting.

Past tense

He laid his eyes on the prize.

She laid the invoices on your desk yesterday morning.

Present participle

The manager is laying out the weekly calendar every Monday.

From the beginning, we are laying clear guidelines to avoid errors and misunderstandings.

Past participle

He has laid the foundation for our upcoming campaign.

The electricians have already laid the cables in the new building.

Lie: definition, conjugation, examples

Definition

Lie refers to a person or an animal being or moving into a horizontal or resting position on a surface. It is an intransitive verb, meaning it is complete without someone or something (direct object) to act upon.

Remember, the verb lie describes an action that does not require a direct object to make complete sense.

Conjugation

Here are the forms of the verb lie, in the most used tenses:

Examples

Read our examples using the verb lie and practice your grammar.

Present

During rush hour, I lie in traffic and waste precious time.

The doctor lies on this couch after an exhausting shift.

Past tense

The project team lay in front of the monitors and waited for the results to come in.

She lay awake for hours looking for a solution to overcome this obstacle.

Present participle

The documents are lying on my desk.

I am lying on the beach, reading a book.

Past participle

The agreement has lain there all this time.

These desks have lain unused in the basement.

Wrap up

To summarize, remember the following rules:

• “Lay/ lie what?” - if you are not sure whether you should use lay or lie, ask “Lay what?” If you can answer, the correct verb is lay; otherwise, use
• Past tense - the past tense of lie is

You are now one step closer to mastering English grammar!

True learning requires practice, and the best way to write flawlessly is by creating sentences or short stories with these two verbs, using as many variations as possible.

Lie comfortably at your desk and begin to lay down your examples.