Lay and Lie Grammar Explained

Think back to elementary school - the nightly homework assignment included writing definitions of words and using them in a sentence. It's enough to strike fear into any third grader and provoke an imaginary stomach ache to avoid school the next day. Dictionary definitions may be confusing and conflicting. English grammar rules seem archaic and unnecessary in the real world. Once understood, however, rules of grammar provide the framework to build meaningful sentences.

Take the words 'lay' and 'lie.' Definitions of 'lay' include put down, place, rest, put, arrange, leave, set, and position; while 'lie' can mean recline, stretch out, lounge, lie down, slouch, laze and loll. ('Lie' is also a noun, but here only the verb form is discussed) Common words such as lay and lie are used indiscriminately in conversations in every state in the Union. But try to incorporate them into a letter, a term paper, or, worse, a corporate memo? (Time for a stomach ache?) A few basic rules, context and a little common sense will determine which word is used in a particular sentence.

Both of these words are verbs (remember; a verb is the action word in a sentence). The present, or infinitive, tense of these two verbs is 'lay' and 'lie.' The simple past tense of lay is 'laid.' ("I laid the napkins down on the table.") One would not say "The cat laid next to the catnip plant." Past participle tense of lay is 'laid' ("Grandma laid a fork on each napkin.") Improper use of this tense would be "Grandma laid asleep after she set the table." 'Lay' is the simple past tense if lie. ("Harriet lay on the floor of the restaurant in protest of its smoking policy.") It would be incorrect to say "Joe lay brickwork for the patio last week." 'Lain' is the past participle tense of lie ("She had lain there for an hour when the police arrived." not "Mom had lain the backpack out for Bernie.") An obvious source of confusion here is that the simple past tense of 'lie' is 'lay.' Context determines which one is used.

There are different types of verbs. "Lay' is a transitive verb, meaning that it is usually followed by an object; that is, the action of the verb is transferred to the object. Conversely, 'lie' is an intransitive verb, so the action is not transferred to an object. One can lay a spoon down on a napkin when setting the dinner table, but one cannot lie a spoon down. Saying "We went to the beach and lay the blanket down on the sand." is correct; "Jane can lay on the grass reading her book." is not. "It was too hot to lie down, so we went for a swim." is the correct use of lie, while saying "Is it okay to lie my surfboard next to the blanket?" is the incorrect usage of lie.

There are three ways to remember the correct usage of the verbs 'lay' and 'lie:'
* "Lay" describes an action which is done to an object or person. You can lay your body down, but you cannot lay down.
* "Lie" refers to the physical action of reclining. You can lie on a pillow, but you cannot lie the pillow down.
* Let context verify usage!

Source of information:
The Proper Use of "Lay" and "Lie"
by Tina Blue
January 25, 2001 http://grammartips.homestead.com/lie.html