Lay, Lie, Laid, Lain

─── ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ ───

• To Set (an Object) Down

  • Present Tense: Lay

  • Past Tense: laid

  • Present Participle (with am/is/are): laying

  • Past Participle (with has/have/had): laid

• To Rest or Recline

  • Present Tense: Lie

  • Past Tense: lay

  • Present Participle (with am/is/are): lying

  • Past Participle (with has/have/had): lain

─── ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ ───

Example Sentences Demonstrating the Differences Between Lay and Lie

• Lay (to set an object down):

  • I will lay the book on the table.

  • Yesterday, I laid the keys down before leaving.

  • She is laying the blanket on the grass.

  • He has laid his coat on the bed.

• Lie (to rest or recline):

  • I need to lie down for a moment.

  • Last night, I lay on the couch watching TV.

  • They are lying in the sun at the beach.

  • She has lain in her bed all day.