Lie vs. Lay: The Complete Tense Guide
- Amy Guan
- 5 hours ago
- 4 min read
Finally understand the difference—and see a breakdown of the tense forms that make them so frustrating.
Few verbs cause more confusion and second-guessing than lie and lay. In fact, these two verbs are often used interchangeably by many people. Not only do they sound similar, but one verb’s past tense looks exactly like the other verb’s present tense. Thanks, English.
We’ve discussed the meaning of these verbs and how to remember them in an earlier author tip, “Lie vs. Lay.” If you’re not sure what the difference is, read that tip first.
In this tip, we take the topic further and discuss the different forms of lie and lay.
A quick refresher:
Lie means to recline. This verb does not need an object.
Lay means to place or set something down. This verb always needs an object.
Lie and lay are base form verbs, meaning they are the simplest form of the verb before tense changes are applied.
Now let’s look at how each verb works across four common tenses.
1. Present Tense
The present tense refers to actions happening now. Lie and lay keep their base forms.
Lie → lie(s) (to recline)
I lie down after work.
The cat lies in the sun.
We lie on the couch every evening.
Lay → lay(s) (to set something down)
I lay my phone on the desk.
The woman lays the book on the table.
He lays the blanket on the couch.
2. Present Participle
The present participle ends in -ing and is used with helping verbs such as is, are, or was to describe ongoing action.
Lie → lying (to recline)
The child is lying on the floor.
The books are lying open on the desk.
He is lying there on the couch.
Lay → laying (to set something down)
Workers are laying bricks.
I am laying tiles in the kitchen.
The child is laying her doll on the bed.
Fortunately, the present participle forms stay close to the base verbs. As in the other tenses, the easiest way to choose the correct form is to ask whether an object is being placed.
3. Past Tense
The past tense refers to actions that have already happened.
WARNING: Past tense is where lie and lay really get confusing!
Lie → lay (to recline)
Yesterday, I lay down for an hour after work.
The dog lay by the fireplace all evening.
He lay in bed all day Sunday with the flu.
Yes, the past tense of lie is lay, and it’s yet another reason why this pair is so confusing.
Lay → laid (to set something down)
Yesterday, I laid my phone on the desk.
The woman laid the book on the table.
She laid the blanket on the couch last night.
The past tense of lay is straightforward and follows the rules of other verbs that end in -ay (e.g., pay → paid, say → said).
The past tense of lie, on the other hand, feels counterintuitive. It may help to think of lie and its past tense form lay as part of a group of verbs that form the past tense by changing their vowel sound (e.g., ring → rang, sit → sat, drink → drank).
If you have the present tense/base forms down, another helpful approach is to (1) identify the correct verb, (2) put the sentence in present tense, and then (3) choose the proper past-tense form.
Here’s an example of these steps:
Last night, she [reclined] on the sand watching the waves until her dog [set down] a soggy piece of driftwood on her lap.
She lies on the sand watching the waves until her dog lays a soggy piece of driftwood on her lap.
Last night, she lay on the sand watching the waves until her dog laid a soggy piece of driftwood on her lap.
4. Past Participle
The past participle is used with helping verbs, such as have, has, or had, to describe completed actions or actions that extend to the present.
Lie → lain (to recline)
I had lain awake for hours before my alarm went off.
I have lain in that spot many times.
She has lain there quietly all morning.
Lay → laid (to set something down)
I have laid the files on your desk.
He had laid the groundwork earlier.
The cat has laid dead mice on my doorstep.
Lie is once again the confusing piece here. The past participle form lain is just not really used in everyday speech or writing. Most people use laid for both, even though that is technically incorrect.
Between lay, laid, and lain, it’s no surprise that these verbs cause so much confusion. The tense changes can be difficult to remember, even when you know the basic rule. The key is to focus on the action in the sentence. If the subject is reclining, use a form of lie. If an object is being placed somewhere, use a form of lay.
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