Laid, Lain, Lay or Lie?
This is one of those grammar problems that manages to trip me up every time. Just when I think I’ve mastered it, I find myself staring at a sentence wondering whether I should use laid, lain, lay or lie.
To save myself the trouble of looking it up repeatedly, I’ve put together this quick reference guide. Hopefully it will help other writers too.
Lay = Put Something Down
| Tense | Word |
|---|---|
| Present | lay |
| Past | laid |
| Past Participle | laid |
Examples:
- I lay the book on the table.
- Yesterday I laid the book on the table.
- I have laid the book on the table.
Lie = Rest or Recline
| Tense | Word |
|---|---|
| Present | lie |
| Past | lay |
| Past Participle | lain |
Examples:
- I lie down every afternoon.
- Yesterday I lay down.
- I have lain awake all night.
Quick Memory Trick
Laid = something was placed somewhere.
She laid the keys on the desk.
Lain = someone rested.
The cat has lain in the sun all day.
The Most Common Mistake
❌ Yesterday I laid down for a nap.
✅ Yesterday I lay down for a nap.
Nothing was being placed anywhere. The action was resting.