Lie, Lay, Lied and Laid
Now, when are all the lie, lay, lied and laid used? The hurdle to cross in understanding how it all works lies (yea, a pun) in this one very important concept - lie and lay are words which are homographs* within of themselves.
When lie is used to mean "tell something untruthful deliberately", both the simple past and the past participle form is lied.
Johnny has lied before to his mother and he lied again to her yesterday. Yes, he lies.
When lie is used to mean "relax on one side of the body", the simple past form is lay and the past participle form is lain.
My wife has lain with me for 12 years. My son John snuggled and lay with me in bed this morning. Right now, I am trying to get my firstborn Paul to lie down and sleep!
When lay is used to mean "deliver something on the ground", both the simple past and the past participle form is laid.
Chickens have laid eggs for years. Today, they lay them in huge factories, in terrible conditions. It is so different from just a hundred years ago, when they laid them in free ranging farms.
Hopefully my post would clear up some confusion, and be helpful to users of English! All these from your friendly neighbourhood English teacher.
*I wrote about this in my blog Sensei Michael
Related Tags: lie, lay, lied, laid, homographs, tenses
Michael Chan used to be a teacher, before he left to run a managed fund. When his business failed, he returned to teaching, and is currently a Department Head at the Shanghai Singapore International School.
He constantly applies his business acumen to his job, to add value to his employer. His thoughts on K-12 education and on financial education can be found in his blog at http://www.senseimichael.com
Your Article Search Directory : Find in ArticlesRecent articles in this category:
- Some Free Games To Learn Spanish
Today there are many more resources available to help individuals find fun games to learn Spanish or - What To Look Forward To Learn Spanish
When trying to learn Spanish, it is good to first get the basics down. Some of the first things peop - Learning Spanish For The Job
It's a very good idea to learn Spanish in today's world. When a person learns Spanish, they gain the - Learn Spanish Phrases For Your Trip Abroad
It's nice when you get a chance to take a trip abroad. If you are going to a Spanish speaking countr - What Should You Do To Get A Good Score In The 4 Ielts Papers?
As IELTS is the most widely used test for entry to UK universities, I will look at it in more detail - Selling Gold Jewelry
The optimal items to sell in this manner are the ones that possess zero resale worth as jewelry, suc - Major Aspects To Be Considered While Teaching Sign Language
Teaching is a very difficult task as you are completely responsible for those whom you are teaching. - Sign Language - An Incredible Language For Children
Learning sign language has become very common as it is one of the most popular languages in America. - Five Things To Know About Italian Culture Before Visiting Italy
It is an art lover's paradise, a country that hosts some of the world's greatest architectural maste - Economical Methods To Pick Up The Language Of Arabic
Whenever individuals desire to learn Arabic by themselves he or she can find lots of tactics availab
Most viewed articles in this category:
- TEFL Visits - London Numbers
TEFL Visits - London numbers Although we live outside London, it's still a major tool in our Teachin - Using the Press as a Language Teaching Tool
One of a 'toolbox' of teaching techniques that I use with my overseas students in my role as a Teach - Learning Spanish For Kids: Your Kid Will Thank You In The Future
Today, learning Spanish is something that anyone can do even those that are as young as toddlers. I - TEFL Techniques: Comparing Cathedrals
The value of getting your student or students out of the confines of the classroom cannot be underes - Learn How To Speak Spanish
There are a variety of reasons that you may want to learn how to speak Spanish. Some people want to - How To Learn Spanish From The Comfort Of Your Own Home
Learning Spanish is not an easy process, but with some guidance in the right direction you could be - Can You Learn Spanish Without a Formal Education?
A question I get quite a lot is "Can I really learn a language properly without going to formal clas - TEFL Visits - Stonehenge Mysteries
TEFL Visits - Stonehenge Mysteries Not far from where I teach is a World Heritage site - Stonehenge. - Learning Spanish - It's All About Repetition
When it comes to learning Spanish, or any language for that matter, it's all about repetition just a - American English in the ESL Class - Learning the Differences Between British and American English
Which English do you want to speak? There isn't one, but several Englishes that people all over the