72. Lie and lay 

• Incorrect: Dad has laid on the sofa all morning. 

• Correct: Dad has lain on the sofa all morning.

 • Incorrect: Mother says she has already lain the table. 

• Correct: Mother says she has already laid the table. 

• Incorrect: The book was lain on the table. 

• Correct: The book was laid on the table. 

• Incorrect: I would like to lay in the sun. 

• Correct: I would like to lie in the sun. 

To lie means to rest. Its different forms are given below: 

Infinitive: lie; -ing form: lying; Past tense: lay; Past participle: lain 

• I lie on the bed. 

• I am lying on the bed. 

• I was lying on the bed. 

• I lay on the bed. 

• I have lain on the bed. 

To lie also means ‘to not tell the truth’. Its different forms are given below: 

Infinitive: lie; -ing form: lying; past tense: lied; past participle: lied 

• I lie. • I am lying. • I was lying. • I lied. • I have lied.

 To lay means ‘to put something down.’

 Its different forms are: Infinitive: lay; -ing form: laying; past tense: laid; past participle: laid 

• I lay the plate on the table. 

• I am laying the plate on the table. 

• I was laying the plate on the table. 

• I laid the plate on the table. 

• I have laid the plate on the table.