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As we have seen, lie is an intransitive verb meaning recline horizontally. Lay is an intransitive verb meaning to place something down to rest. Therefore: Lie = rec-LI-ne; Lay = p-LA-ce; If you focus on li in recline and la in place, this should help you remember the difference between lie and lay. Summary
Lie is a verb which means ‘to be in or put yourself into a flat position’. It is an irregular verb and it doesn’t take an object. The -ing form is lying and the past simple is lay. The -ed form, lain, is very formal and is rarely used: I love to lie on a beach and read. She lay on the bed and gazed at the ceiling, daydreaming.
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Lie is a verb which means ‘to be in or put yourself into a flat position’. It is an irregular verb and it doesn’t take an object. The -ing form is lying and the past simple is lay. The -ed form, lain, is very formal and is rarely used: I love to lie on a beach and read.
Lie means to rest or recline and is an intransitive verb, meaning it does not take an object. You lie down, he lies on the bed, she lies on the floor. Lay means to put or place and is a transitive verb, meaning it needs an object.
Lay means 'to place something down flat,' while lie means 'to be in a flat position on a surface.' The key difference is that lay is transitive and requires an object to act upon, and lie is intransitive, describing something moving on its own or already in position.
Because lay is used to talk about putting something in a particular place or position, it is related to the verb lie. If someone lays something somewhere, it lies there. Because of their related meanings, people sometimes confuse the two verbs.