Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[klafterreith]

Which one is correct?

- Yesterday she lay her head on a pillow. (to lie)

- Yesterday she laid her head on apillow. (to lay)


Thank you!

[asterix]

The second sentence is correct.

[CP]

Asterix is right, of course, and here is why:

To lie is intransitive (no direct object). The principal parts are lie, lay, lain. The present participle is lying.

To lay is transitive (takes a direct object). The principal parts are lay, laid, laid. The present participle is laying.

So you can say:

Yesterday she laid her head on a pillow.
Yesterday she lay down to rest.

She has often laid her head on a pillow.
She has often lain down to rest.

She is laying her head on a pillow right now.
She is lying down to rest right now.
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