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Lemonmelon Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

lie & lay

Hello!
There is a sentence, Next to the girl ____ a cushion, against which she could lean herself. (lay/laid)
It seems that the sentence is using a past tense, The past tense of LIE is LAY, of LAY is LAID. And it seems that it is not common to add an object behind "lay-laid". The answer is LAID, and why?
  

Top answer

Indeed, lay(past= laid) requires a direct object and lie(past lay) does not. No one put there but you put YOURSELF. (no direct object) Howeve, you laid something or someone onto something means that this person or thing didn't put itself down but someone did.

— Everlastinghope

  • Indeed, lay(past= laid) requires a direct object and lie(past lay) does not.
  • No one put there but you put YOURSELF.
  • (no direct object) Howeve, you laid something or someone onto something means that this person or thing didn't put itself down but someone did.
  • ,the book down on the table (the book is the direct object).
  • your example : Next to the girl laid a cushion, against which she could lean herself .
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11 Answers
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Indeed, lay(past= laid) requires a direct object and lie(past lay) does not.

Let's use them in the past:

So,you lay down on the bed for example (no direct object),means that you're in position in which your body is on the surface of the bed.No one put ther

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Firstly, look at the declension of these two words:
to lie: lie / lay / has/have lain
to lay: lay / laid / laid/ has/have laid
Some meanings of these two words are:
to lie: be in, or assume, a horizontal or resting position on a supporting surface

to lay: put down (especially gently or carefully); put down and set in position for use; set
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TerryxpressHence,Next to the girl lay (Past Tense of 'to lie') a cushion...The cushion was there, lying on the floor. It was "in a resting position on a supporting surface".
I'm afraid I don't agree with you Terry.Did you ask who put down the cushion ?,it's true,it's there but not by itself .
I would rather say :

Next to the girl laid a cus
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I reiterate:
Someone placed the cushion there, but then, (thereafter, till someone moves it again), it then lies on the floor. It is "in a resting position on a supporting surface". In the Past Tense, "The cushion lay on the floor."

Example from googling:

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Ok,I think I got it.So please tell me if these sentences are correct.

The papers were lying neatly on his desk.( present participle of the verb "lie").

John laid the papers on his desk . ( past of the verb "lay").
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Emotion: clap Many thanks to you Terry.
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Thank you friend, you are doing me a great favor!
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See if you like this little poem I wrote to help my students with these two verbs:

HOW TO USE LIE AND LAY.

I'm lying here upon the shore.
I lie here every day.
I've lain here many times before.
I lay here yesterday.

I'd lay my head upon the floor
If you'd lie down with me.
I've l
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