Lay | Lie
A frequent source of spelling mistakes for many writers, due to the almost twinlike nature of this word pair. Lay means to place something down - you do this to something else. In other words, if the subject is acting on something else, you need to use lay:
- I lay my glasses on the table
-
I lay the baby in the cot
On the other hand, lie is used when the subject is acting upon itself
- I lie down on the bed
The distinction is infrequently made in colloquial speech, and confusion arises in writing because the two terms sound much more alike in the past tense:
- Lay becomes laid
- Lie becomes lay
There is no easy way to remember the distinction between these two words; they sound similar and have the subtlest of differences. Take care when choosing your words, and remember to proofread later to ensure that you have got it right.