Lie vs. Lay
If you confuse these two words, trust me, you are not alone. So what’s the difference?
Lie is an intransitive verb meaning “to be in, stay at rest in, or assume a horizontal position.” Its forms are: lie, lay, lain, lying.
I like to lie on my sofa.
I lay on my sofa all day yesterday.
I had lain on the sofa the previous day as well.
I was lying on the sofa when I should have been working.
Lay is a transitive verb meaning “to put or set down.” Its forms are: lay, laid, laying.
Please lay the book on the table.
I laid the book on the table yesterday.
I had laid the book on the table before she asked me to.
I was laying the book on the table when she came in.
(Definitions from The Merriam-Webster Dictionary.)
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