Lay - To put or place something down
The word 'lay' is transitive, which means that it must have a direct object. In the chart, 'the pillow' is the direct object. Lay describes a a kind of action that is done to something. So when using 'lay' in a sentence, remember that you need to lay something. I lay something down. I lay it down. I lay my head down.
Lie - Aside from meaning to tell an untruth, it means to recline or to rest, maybe because you're tired
The word 'lie' is intransitive, which means that it cannot have a direct object. The word 'lie' is often followed by the following prepositions:
-down
-on
-in
This is difficult. The past of Lie is Lay.
I know. I try to make it simple by remembering that both the past and the past participle of Lay is Laid. So when in doubt, I just say to myself, Lay-Laid-Laid.
How do I remember the difference between Lay and Lie?
I remember the difference by telling myself the following:
-Telling a lie is a no-no.
-No lie
-No direct object with lie
If you have any tricks, please share.
Ready to test yourself? Try this quiz by Grammar Book.