Lie or Lay?

Lie or Lay? Laid or lain? Which do I use, and when? Many writers struggle with these pesky verbs. Let’s try to sort them out:

Lie means to be at rest, to recline, or remain in position

When I’m tired, I lie down.                

I was tired, so I lay down.                 

I am lying down.                                

I have lain down.                               

I had lain down.                                 

Lay means to set or place. Lay is a transitive verb which means that something in the sentence must receive the action of the verb.

 For example, I lay my poker chips is incomplete without an object receiving the action of the verb.

 I lay my poker chips on the table. is a complete sentence.

I laid my poker chips on the table.                

I am laying my poker chips on the table.       

I have laid my poker chips on the table.        

I had laid my poker chips on the table.         

If you can substitute the word set for the verb, then you’re using the transitive verb lay.

I hope this clears up the confusion between lie and lay.