Last week, we looked at easily confused words.
This week, we will work with four sets of verbs that are often confusing.
Today’s verbs are lie and lay.
The action verb lie sometimes means “to tell an untruth.” Look at these sentences:
Do not lie to me. Tell me the truth.
I heard my brother lie about what he did.
Lie can also be used as a noun. The noun lie means “an untruth” or “a false statement.”
I’m sorry that I told a lie.
It isn’t right to tell a lie to someone.
Things get confusing when we try to use the verb lie. Lie as a verb means to “lie down” or be in a horizontal position.
I want to lie down and take a nap.
Unfortunately, the verb lay is sometimes used where it should be lie.
We might say, I’m going to lay down for a nap. But that is incorrect.
When the person or animal puts their own body into a flat position, we use the verb lie.
A person or an animal will lie down.
The dog will lie in his bed.
I am tired, so I will lie on the sofa.
Mom said she will lie down for a bit before making dinner.
In each of those sentences, the person or the animal did their own lying.
The verb lay is used when someone places an object down.
Can you see the difference in these sentences with the verb lay?
Please lay your coat on the chair.
I will lay the baby in his crib.
Lay the placemats on the table.
The verb lay is a transitive verb. Lay transfers action to an object.
lay the coat
lay the baby
lay the placemats.
You have probably heard the child’s bedtime prayer, Now I lay me down to sleep. This is actually correct.
You, yourself, will lie down, but you can lay “yourself” down.
Now I lay me down to sleep has the object “me,” so lay is the correct verb.
Here is the difference between lie and lay:
With lie, the subject lies himself down. The boy will lie on the floor.
With lay, the subject lays an object down. Bobby will lay his blanket on the floor.
Try to keep these two verbs straight and use them correctly. I myself will lie down, but I will lay down the hammer.