Word Usage
Mary W. Ng
June 26, 2009
lay, laid, lain, lie
Lay is a transitive verb and takes a direct object;
laid is its past form and past participle.
Lie is an intransitive verb and does not take a direct object;
lay is its past form and lain its past
participle.
| Incorrect: | Why don’t you go and lay
down? | There is no direct object in this sentence. The transitive verb
lay should not be used. |
| Correct: | Why don’t you go and lie
down? | The intransitive verb lie is used. |
| Incorrect: | He laid on the sofa last
night. | There is no direct object in this sentence.
Laid, the past form of the transitive verb
lay, should not be used. |
| Correct: | He lay on the sofa last
night. | Lay, the past form of the intransitive verb
lie, is used. |
| Incorrect: | The hen lay an egg
yesterday. | The transitive verb lay takes the direct
object an egg, but the verb is in the wrong tense. |
| Correct: | The hen laid an egg
yesterday. | Laid is the past form of the transitive
verb lay. |
| Incorrect: | He had laid awake the whole
night.
| There is no direct object in this sentence.
Laid, the past form of the transitive verb
lay, should not be used. |
| Correct: | He had lain awake the whole night.
| Lain, the past participle of the intransitive verb
lie, is used. |
