Lay vs Lie Quiz
Questions: 16 · 10 minutes
1. Maya ___ her keys beside the laptop before the meeting began.
lay
laid
lain
lie
2. Please ___ the signed forms on my desk before you leave.
lie
lain
laid
lay
3. Which statement accurately describes the usual distinction between lay and lie?
Lay refers only to people, while lie refers only to objects.
Lie is always past tense, while lay is always present tense.
Lay usually takes a direct object, while lie meaning “recline” does not.
Lie takes a direct object, while lay cannot take one.
4. The installers have ___ the new cable beneath the floorboards.
lain
laid
lay
lying
5. Each morning, I ___ my yoga mat on the floor, then ___ down for stretches.
lay; laid
lie; lay
laid; lay
lay; lie
6. A draft says, “Last night, I laid on the couch.” Which edit expresses the intended meaning in standard English?
Last night, I laid on the couch.
Last night, I had lay on the couch.
Last night, I lay on the couch.
Last night, I was lain on the couch.
7. In which sentence is lay the past tense of lie, meaning “to recline,” rather than a form of lay meaning “to place”?
Please lay the package near the door.
They lay bricks every summer.
After lunch yesterday, he lay awake on the sofa.
The hens lay eggs each morning.
8. Yesterday, we ___ on the grass and watched the clouds.
lay
lain
laid
lied
9. The grounds crew has ___ fresh sod, while the unused rolls have ___ beside the shed since Monday.
lain; laid
lay; lain
laid; lain
laid; lay
10. Which sentence correctly uses the present progressive form of lie, meaning “to recline”?
The dog is lieing under the table.
The dog is laying under the table.
The dog is lain under the table.
The dog is lying under the table.
11. A museum record describes an action completed yesterday: “The curator ___ the manuscript inside the display case.” Which form belongs in the blank?
laid
lay
lain
lie
12. Which sentence uses laying correctly?
The mason is laying bricks along the path.
The towels have been laying on the shelf.
The baby is laying quietly in the crib.
The guests had laying beside the pool.
13. Every afternoon, the cat likes to ___ in the sunny window.
lay
lie
laid
lain
14. By noon, the exhausted runners had ___ on the grass for nearly an hour.
laid
lied
lay
lain
15. Before the alarm rang, the hikers had ___ down to rest.
lain
laid
lying
lay
16. Before the inspection, the tools were ___ neatly on the mat by the technician.
lain
laid
lying
lay