"Lie" vs "Lay"

Grammar Lesson for the Day

LIE—Means “to rest” (no object after the verb)

PRESENT:
I lie on the bed. We lie on separate beds. You lie on the bed. He/she/it lies on the bed. They lie on separate beds. (;>

Add a Helping Verb (Have, Has)
I have lain (yes, lain) on the floor. We have lain (yes, lain) on the floor far apart. You have lain on the floor. He/she/it has lain on the floor. They have lain on the floor in several different rooms.

PAST:
Yesterday I lay on the ground. Yesterday we lay on the ground far apart. You lay on the ground. She lay on the ground. They lay on separate parcels of ground.

Add a Helping Verb (Had)
I had lain in the dirt. We had lain in the dirt in two different backyards. You had lain in the dirt. He/she/it had lain in the dirt. They had lain in the dirt on different beaches for many days.

FUTURE:
Tomorrow I will lie on the floating raft. Tomorrow we will lie on the floating rafts. You will lie on the floating raft. He/she/it will lie on the floating raft. They will lie on many floating rafts and form a circle of rafts.

Add a Helping Verb (Will Have)
I will have lain on the gurney three days. We will have lain on the gurneys three days. You will have lain on the gurneys for three days. He/she/it will have lain on the gurney for three days. They will have lain on gurneys for three days in the morgue.

LAY—means “to place” or “to put” (requires an object after the verb)

PRESENT:
I lay the book on the bench right now. We lay the books on the benches right now. You lay the book on the bench right now. He/she/it lays the book on the bench right now. They lay the books on the benches right now.

Add a Helping Verb (Have, Has)
I have laid the flower on the table. We have laid the flowers on the table. You have laid the flower on the table. He/she/it laid the flower on the table. They laid the flowers on the table.

PAST:
I laid the plate on the counter yesterday. We laid the plates on the counter yesterday. You laid the plate on the counter yesterday. He/she/it laid the plate on the counter yesterday. They laid the plates on the counter yesterday.

Add a Helping Verb (Had)
I had laid the hat on her head yesterday. We had laid the hats on our heads yesterday. You had laid the hat on her head yesterday. He/she/it had laid the hat on his/her/its head yesterday. They had laid the hats on their heads yesterday.

FUTURE:
I will lay the book on the shelf. We will lay the books on the shelf. You will lay the book on the shelf. He/she/it will lay the book on the shelf. They will lay the books on the shelf.

Add a Helping Verb (Have)
I will have laid the paper in the fireplace. We will have laid the paper in the fireplace. You will have laid the paper in the fireplace. He/she/it will have laid the paper in the fireplace. They will have laid the paper in the fireplace.