Grammar worksheet teaching the difference between "lie" and "lay" with examples and fill-in-the-blank sentences.

To solve this worksheet, we need to choose the correct form of the verb "lie" or "lay" for each sentence. Here is a quick guide to help you decide:

* Lie / Lay (Present Tense):
* Use lay if you are putting something down (e.g., "I lay the book on the table"). It needs an object.
* Use lie if someone or something is resting or reclining by themselves (e.g., "I lie on the sofa"). It does *not* have an object.
* Laid / Lay (Past Tense):
* Use laid if you put something down in the past (e.g., "I laid the book down yesterday").
* Use lay if someone rested or reclined in the past (e.g., "I lay on the sofa yesterday"). *Note: This is tricky because "lay" is the past tense of "lie."*
* Lain / Laid (Past Participle - used with have/has/had):
* Use lain if someone has rested/reclined (e.g., "He has lain there for hours").
* Use laid if someone has put something down (e.g., "She has laid the table").

Let's go through each question step-by-step:

1) Grandpa asked me not to \_\_\_\_\_ in the sun for too long.
* Action: Resting/reclining.
* Object: None (you aren't putting anything down).
* Form: Present tense infinitive ("to...").
* Choice: lie

2) Ostriches can \_\_\_\_\_ up to fifty eggs a year.
* Action: Producing/placing eggs.
* Object: "eggs".
* Form: Present tense after "can".
* Choice: lay

3) Rebecca \_\_\_\_\_ that it was her birthday.
* Action: Saying something untrue.
* Object: "that it was her birthday" (the statement).
* Form: Past tense (the rest of the sentence "was" is past tense).
* Choice: lied

4) Susan gently \_\_\_\_\_ her baby in the crib.
* Action: Putting/placing someone down.
* Object: "her baby".
* Form: Past tense (implied narrative past).
* Choice: laid

5) The team \_\_\_\_\_ scattered around Penny’s room.
* Action: Resting/being situated.
* Object: None.
* Form: Past participle used as an adjective/description (often implies "had lain" or just describing the state). However, looking at the options usually provided in these exercises, if it's describing where they *were*, it might be simple past. Let's look closer. "The team [verb] scattered..." This phrasing is slightly awkward. Usually, it would be "The team lay scattered" (Past tense of lie) or "The team had lain scattered". Given the context of typical grammar worksheets, "lay" (past tense of lie) fits best to describe their position in the past.
* Choice: lay

6) Ruth had \_\_\_\_\_ lazily on her couch before the kids returned.
* Action: Resting/reclining.
* Object: None.
* Form: Past participle (used with "had").
* Choice: lain

7) Ines \_\_\_\_\_ his books on the desk.
* Action: Putting/placing objects.
* Object: "his books".
* Form: Past tense (narrative).
* Choice: laid

8) The true beauty of the valley \_\_\_\_\_ along the cliffs.
* Action: Existing/resting/being situated.
* Object: None.
* Form: Present tense (general truth/fact).
* Choice: lies

Final Answer:
1) lie
2) lay
3) lied
4) laid
5) lay
6) lain
7) laid
8) lies