Grammar Clinic: The REAL difference between LIE and LAY

Lay and lie are frequently confused verbs that have similar meanings (If you exclude the meaning “to tell an untruth”), but for this one big detail – lay is transitive and always has a direct object; lie is intransitive and will never have a direct object.

The reason it seems confusing is that the past tense of lie is lay. But this lay should be compared to laid – the past tense of lay. A great way to remember is to chant the present, past and past participle of each verb as one unit: lay-laid-laid and lie-lay-lain.

Definition

Lay means to set something down, to place, or to arrange it over or onto a surface. For example, I am going to lay out these candles on this shelf, or please lay this book on the table. The verb lay will always have a direct object.

Lie is a verb that means to recline, or to rest in a horizontal position. It is often used to refer to people or animals — for example, I need to lie down in bed, or the dog lies in front of its master’s grave for hours.

Presence of Direct Object

Lay is a transitive verb, and will always, without exception have a direct object. In other words, this will involve two nouns:

• The subject (i.e. the person who lays something down),
• An object (i.e. the something which the person is laying down).

• E.g. Lola laid the book on the table.

(Always ask: Lola laid WHAT on the table? – And there should be an answer: The book.)

• I lay my head on the desk.

(WHAT did I lay on the table? – My head.)

The adverb phrase – i.e. the phrase indicating where the action took place need not necessarily have a noun.

The words ‘table’ and ‘desk’ in the above examples allude to where the action took place, but we really don’t require any nouns here. E.g. I lay the book there. I lay my head down.

Lie is an intransitive verb, and it’s only about what the subject is doing (by and to himself). It will never have a direct object, and the only required noun is the subject.

• E.g. Lola lies down (on the bed).

(Ask: Lola lies WHAT? No answer, because there’s no direct object.)

• I lie on the grass.

(I lie WHAT? No answer.)

Again, the adverb phrase may or may not have a noun. Do notice that when you ask Lola lies WHAT?, “on the grass” answers “where,” not “what.”). And even here, the adverbial noun need not exist. E.g. Lola lies down. I lie there.

Why the Confusion?

The past tense of lie happens to be lay. This is how the two verbs look in the present, past and past participle forms:

Present Tense:

Lola lays the book on the table. Tony lies on the bed.

Past Tense:

Lola laid the book on the table. Tony lay on the bed.

Past Participle:

Lola had laid the book on the table. Tony had lain on the bed.

How to Remember

This confusion can be allayed by two simple tricks:

1. Chant the tenses in your mind as though you’re still in elementary school: lay-laid-laid / lie-lay-lain
2. Always ask “WHAT?” after the verb and look for a direct object, regardless of tense.