Lay or Lie - Word of the Day - 07/03/16

How to Use Lay and Lie

Tripping Up English Speakers for 700 Years
 
Incorrect "I'm going to lay down"
Correct - "I'm going to lie down,"

Lay means - to place (something or someone) down in a flat position.

Lie - to be in a flat position on a surface."

Lay is transitive - the verb (lay) must have an object.

A thing or person being placed - Lay it down.

Lie is intransitive. 

You can lie down there.
You can lie there all day.

Tricky - using the words beyond the present tense.

lay 

I was told to lay the book down.
I laid it down as I have laid other books down.
I am laying more books down now.

lie

I was told to lie down.
I lay down.
I have lain here since.
I'm still lying here.

Note 

 For lay, we have lay, laid, have laid, laying.
 For lie, we have lie, lay, have lain, lying.

Unrelated verb meaning - to tell an untruth.

lie   lie, lied, have lied, lying.