Learn the way to appropriately use lay or lie in a sentence.
Some of the widespread grammatical errors that we see in each speech and writing is misuse of the phrases lay and lie.
This error is so widespread, it even slips previous skilled writers, editors, and English lecturers — on a regular basis.
Perhaps finally these two phrases will morph into one and have the very same that means, however till then, it’s worthwhile to study correct utilization. For now, their meanings are utterly completely different.
Let’s check out this attention-grabbing phrase pair and discover out whether or not we needs to be utilizing lay or lie primarily based on every phrase’s definition.
Lay
Dictionary.com lists forty-two completely different definitions for the phrase lay. Of those, twenty-eight are categorized as a verb used with an object, eight as verbs used with out an object, and 6 are merely nouns. Plus, there are fifteen verb phrases that use the phrase lay, in addition to 9 idioms. It is a phrase that can be utilized in lots of alternative ways!
Let’s preserve issues easy by specializing in what differentiates lay from lie.
In brief, lay is one thing you do to one thing else. You may assume that sounds humorous, particularly contemplating idiom quantity 58 (“get laid”), nevertheless it’s true, and naturally “getting laid” is precisely what it’s best to use to do not forget that you lay somefactor (down).
Lie
The phrase lie solely has twenty-seven definitions, in order that’s a aid, though that’s not making an allowance for the 9 extra definitions that cope with falsehoods.
Once more, we’ll preserve it easy. Simply do not forget that it’s best to use the phrase lie when there isn’t any object concerned.
Lay or Lie
Listed below are some suggestions that can assist you bear in mind whether or not to make use of lay or lie in a sentence:
Each sentence has a topic and a verb. An instance can be the next:
I write.
I is the topic, and write is the verb. Many sentences even have an object:
I write poems.
On this instance, the phrase poems is the item. The thing in a sentence receives the motion of the verb. The topic is taking or making that motion.
Topic: I (does the motion)
Motion: write (the motion)
Object: poems (receives the motion; i.e. will get written)
Studying to Use Lay or Lie is Straightforward!
The phrase lay needs to be used when there’s an object receiving the motion, i.e. one thing or somebody is getting laid (down) by one thing or another person.
I all the time lay my pencil by the telephone.
I laid the e-book on that chair.
I’m laying down the legislation.
Conversely, the phrase lie is used when there isn’t any object concerned, i.e. the topic of the sentence is mendacity itself (down).
I lie down each afternoon.
The kitten lies there, dozing.
The canine is mendacity down.
Wait — There’s Extra
As with each rule, there are exceptions. Think about the next line: “Now I lay me all the way down to sleep . . .” Effectively, in that sentence, the speaker (I) is laying himself or herself down. We don’t usually communicate like this: I lay myself down. Nevertheless, for those who had been to incorporate your self in a sentence as each as topic and object, you’ll use lay slightly than lie.
