Lie vs. Lay

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Lie vs. Lay
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Transitive v. Intransitive

• Lay is a transitive verb and requires a direct
  object
• Lie is an intransitive verb and does not take a
  direct object
• Before lying down (no direct object) she laid
  the book (direct object) on the table.

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Examples in Present Tense

• I like to lie down for a nap at 200 p.m.
• I am lying down for a nap today.
• The hens lay eggs.
• The hen is laying eggs.

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Examples in Past Tense

• I lay down for a nap yesterday at 200 p.m.
• The hen laid two eggs yesterday.

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Examples With a Participlein Perfect Tense

• I have lain down for a nap every day this week.
• The hen has laid two eggs every day this week.

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Quiz Is It Correct?

• I am dizzy and need to ____ down.
• (lay)
• When I got dizzy yesterday, I ____ down.
• (lay)
• We need to ___ this baby down for a nap.
• (lay)

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Quiz

• The lions are _____ in wait for their prey.
• (lying)
• The lions have ____ in wait for their prey.
• (lain)
• I ____the blanket over her as she slept.
• (laid)

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Quiz

• I will ___ my head on my pillow shortly.
• (lay)
• The dog has been _____on the back porch all
  afternoon.
• (lying)
• The tugboat has ____on its side since last
  winter's storm.
• (lain)

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Quiz

• He yelled at his dog, "_______ down!
• (Lie)
• My slacker brother _______ around in bed all day.
  
• (lies)
• Professor Rodgers ________ his papers carefully
  on the podium before beginning his talk.
• (laid)

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Quiz

• The team members were so exhausted after the game
  they just ______ on the benches.
• (lay)
• The police ordered the thieves to _______ down in
  the street.
• (lie)

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Quiz

• The thieves _________ down on the pavement.
• (lay)
• The thieves have _______ there for several
  moments already.
• (lain)

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Need more practice?

• Go to The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation
• http//www.grammarbook.com/grammar/exercises/lie_l
  ay2.asp