amandaonwriting:

Lay or Lie

Lay is a transitive verb.
Transitive verbs need a subject and one or more direct objects.
The present tense is ‘lay’.
Example: I (subject) lay the blanket (direct object) on the bed.
The past tense is ‘laid’.
Example: I laid the blanket on the bed.

Lie is an intransitive verb.
Intransitive verbs don’t need direct objects.
The present tense is ‘lie’.
Example: The girls lie between the rocks.
The past tense is ‘lay’.
Example: The girls lay between the rocks.

Most common mistake:
Don’t use the past tense of ‘lay’ when you should use the past tense of ‘lie’.
Don’t say: He laid on the beach. Do say: He lay on the beach.

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