1. marcusl

    marcusl New Member

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    Lay vs laid

    Discussion in 'Word Mechanics' started by marcusl, Nov 3, 2009.

    I've heard that you use lay when you're applying the action to an external object:

    I lay the book down.

    And you use laid when you're applying it upon yourself:

    I laid onto the carpet. He laid onto the bed.

    Is this correct? Well, even if it is, I recall a particular line from a novel called Dear Enemy. It read something like:

    I laid him down onto the bed.

    I could use some help with this. Thanks.
     
  2. Mister Micawber

    Mister Micawber Member

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    Lie/lay/lain: intransitive (no object). I lie on the bed every day; I lay on the bed yesterday; I have lain on the bed every day this week.

    Lay/laid/laid: transitive (needs object). I lay the book on the bed every day; I laid the book on the bed yesterday; I have laid the elephant on the bed every day this week.
     
  3. architectus

    architectus Banned

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    And the perfect tenses.

    Lie, lay, lying, lain
    Lay, laid, laying, laid

    In the bedroom, lying on the bed, she read a novel about love.
    She was laying the book on the silk sheets when someone knocked on the door.
     
  4. mammamaia

    mammamaia nit-picker-in-chief Contributor

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    He got laid, while lying on the sheet that lay on her bed. Then, he laid his head on her bosom, while he lied and told her he loved her for lying on his behalf and not having lain with his brother, on whose head the crown would lay, after their father was laid to rest. She lay there in his arms, laying her guilt on him, with her lies.
     

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