Three pairs of irregular verbs trip up careful writers. In each pair, one verb takes a direct object (you put or lift something) and the other doesn’t.
| Verb | Meaning | Past | Past participle | -ing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| lie | to rest or recline (no object) | lay | (has) lain | lying |
| lay | to put something down (object) | laid | (has) laid | laying |
| sit | to be seated (no object) | sat | (has) sat | sitting |
| set | to put something somewhere (object) | set | (has) set | setting |
| rise | to go up (no object) | rose | (has) risen | rising |
| raise | to lift something (object) | raised | (has) raised | raising |
Key idea
Ask: is something being put or lifted? If yes, use lay, set or raise. If not, use lie, sit or rise.
Why it works
The two verbs in each pair mean different things. “The hen lays” (an egg) and “The hen lies down” describe different events, so choosing the right one keeps your meaning exact.
Worked example: No object, present
Every afternoon the dog (lies / lays) on the porch.
- Is the dog putting something down? No. It is resting.
- No object: lie. With dog, lies.
Answer: Every afternoon the dog lies on the porch.
Worked example: No object, past
Yesterday I (lay / laid) down for a nap.
- Nothing is being put down: the verb is lie.
- The past of lie is lay.
Answer: Yesterday I lay down for a nap.
Worked example: An object, past
She (lay / laid) the baby in the crib.
- She put something down: the baby. That is an object.
- The verb is lay; its past is laid.
Answer: She laid the baby in the crib.
Common mistake
Mixing the forms because the past of lie is lay. Many people use lay for both verbs in conversation (“I’m going to lay down”). Formal writing keeps them apart: “I’m going to lie down.” Ask: is something being put somewhere?