Lied vs Lay vs Laid vs Lain
Below, the following verbs are written in their present and past forms, which should help you to distinguish them from one another: to (tell a) lie, to lie (down), and to lay (down).
To Lie (to tell a lie)
Examples of usage: He lies to her. I lie every day.
Present
I lie.
One/He/She lies.
You lie.
We lie.
They lie.
Present Continuous
I am lying.
One/He/She is lying.
You are lying.
We are lying.
They are lying.
Past
I lied.
One/He/She lied.
You lied.
We lied.
They lied.
Pluperfect
I had lied.
One/He/She had lied.
You had lied.
We had lied.
They had lied.
To Lie (to lie down)
Examples of usage: They lie in bed together. I lie on the floor.
Present
I lie.
One/He/She lies.
You lie.
We lie.
They lie.
Present Continuous
I am lying.
One/He/She is lying.
You are lying.
We are lying.
They are lying.
Past
I lay.
One/He/She lay.
You lay.
We lay.
They lay.
Pluperfect
I had lain.
One/He/She had lain.
You had lain.
We had lain.
They had lain.
To Lay (to lay something down)
Examples of usage: She lays the rules down. I lay the table.
Present
I lay.
One/He/She lay.
You lay.
We lay.
They lay.
Present Continuous
I am laying.
One/He/She is laying.
You are laying.
We are laying.
They are laying.
Past
I laid.
One/He/She laid.
You laid.
We laid.
They laid.
Pluperfect
I had laid.
One/He/She had laid.
You had laid.
We had laid.
They had laid.
NB: In the examples below, verbs are emboldened, subjects are highlighted in purple, and objects are highlighted in pink. Additionally, prepositions are occasionally italicised. Definition Different v
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