Laying vs. Lying (Lay vs. Lie)–What’s the Difference?

SHUNDALYN ALLEN · Writing

What’s the difference between lay and lie ?

You lie down, but you lay something down. Lie does not require a direct object. Lay requires a direct object. The same rule applies to laying and lying (not lieing—beware of spelling). The past tense of lay is laid , but be careful with the past tense of lie —there are two options. We’ll dive into them later.

When to Use Lay