Writers and speakers frequently confuse the various forms of lie (meaning “to recline or rest on a surface”) and lay (meaning “to put or place something”). Lie is an intransitive verb; it does not take a direct object: The tax forms lie on the table. The verb lay is transitive; it takes a direct object: Please lay the tax forms on the table. (See 47b.)
In addition to confusing the meaning of lie and lay, writers and speakers are often unfamiliar with the Standard English forms of these verbs.
base form | past tense | past participle | present participle |
lie (“recline”) | lay | lain | lying |
lay (“put”) | laid | laid | laying |
The past-tense form of lie (“to recline”) is lay.
The past-participle form of lie (“to recline”) is lain. If the correct English seems too stilted, recast the sentence: The patient had been lying in an uncomfortable position all night.
The past-tense form of lay (“to place”) is laid.
The present participle of lie (“to rest on a surface”) is lying.