Commonly Confused Words Worksheets - Free Printable

Let’s go through each sentence one by one and decide whether to use “lie” or “lay.” Remember:

- “Lie” means to rest or recline (you do it yourself).
- Present: lie → Past: lay → Past participle: lain
- Example: I lie down. Yesterday I lay down. I have lain down.

- “Lay” means to put something down (you do it to something else).
- Present: lay → Past: laid → Past participle: laid
- Example: I lay the book down. Yesterday I laid the book down. I have laid the book down.

Now let’s solve each sentence:

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1) Grandma asked me not to ______ in my too-big swing.

→ You’re resting yourself in the swing → use lie
But note: “asked me not to” is followed by base verb → so we use lie

✔ Answer: lie

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2) Children can ______ up till they grow a span.

→ Again, children are resting themselves → use lie
“Can” is followed by base verb → lie

✔ Answer: lie

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3) Rebecca ______ that it was her birthday.

→ This is tricky! The word here is probably meant to be “lied” — but wait, the worksheet says “lie” or “lay”. Let’s check context.

Actually, this might be a typo or misprint — because “Rebecca lied that it was her birthday” makes sense (meaning she told a falsehood), but “lied” comes from “lie” meaning to tell an untruth — which is different from “lie” meaning to rest.

BUT — looking at the chart in the image, it only shows “lie/lay” for resting vs placing — NOT for telling lies.

Wait — maybe it’s supposed to be “Rebecca lay that it was her birthday”? That doesn’t make sense.

Hold on — perhaps it’s “Rebecca laid that it was her birthday”? No, that doesn’t work either.

Actually — rethinking: Maybe it’s “Rebecca said...” but the worksheet forces us to pick between lie/laid.

This seems like an error — BUT if we assume it’s about resting, then “Rebecca lay that it was her birthday” still doesn’t make sense.

Wait — perhaps it’s “Rebecca lay [down] that it was her birthday?” Still no.

Alternatively — maybe it’s “Rebecca lied” — and even though “lied” isn’t in the chart, it’s the past tense of “lie” (to tell a lie).

Looking back at the top of the worksheet: It says “‘Lie’ means to rest flat... ‘Lay’ means to place...”

So strictly speaking, “lie” as in “tell a lie” is a different word — same spelling, different meaning.

But since the worksheet includes examples like “The hen sat idle after laying eggs,” and “I had just been lying on the beach,” it’s focused on physical position.

However, sentence #3 likely intends “lied” — meaning told a falsehood — which is also from “lie”.

In many school worksheets, they include both meanings.

Given that, and since “lied” is the past tense of “lie” (to tell a lie), and the sentence needs past tense (“was her birthday”), we should use lied.

But the blank is for present/past? Let’s see the structure.

Sentence: “Rebecca ______ that it was her birthday.”

It’s describing something that happened in the past → needs past tense.

If we take “lie” = to tell a lie → past tense = lied

If we take “lie” = to rest → past tense = lay

Neither fits perfectly with “that it was her birthday” unless it’s “lied”.

I think this is intended to be “lied” — so we’ll go with lied, even though it’s not in the main chart — because otherwise the sentence doesn’t make sense.

But wait — let’s look again at the worksheet instructions: “Choose the correct form of the words ‘lie’ or ‘lay’”

And the chart only has:

Present: lie / lay
Past: lay / laid
Past Participle: lain / laid

No mention of “lied”.

Hmm.

Perhaps it’s a mistake — or perhaps it’s “Rebecca lay [down] that it was her birthday?” Doesn’t work.

Another idea: Maybe it’s “Rebecca laid that it was her birthday?” As in “placed the idea”? Not standard.

I think the most reasonable answer — despite the confusion — is that this is testing “lie” as in “to tell a lie”, so past tense = lied

But since “lied” isn’t in the chart, and the worksheet may expect only the forms shown, perhaps it’s a trick.

Wait — let’s skip and come back.

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4) Leave gently ______ her baby in the crib.

→ Someone is putting the baby down → use lay
“Leave gently” suggests action of placing → lay

But “leave” is present tense — so “gently lay” would be imperative or present? Actually, “Leave gently lay” doesn’t sound right.

Wait — perhaps it’s “Leave gently laying her baby”? No.

Maybe it’s “She leaves gently laying her baby”? But the sentence starts with “Leave gently” — which might be a command.

Actually, rereading: “Leave gently ______ her baby in the crib.”

This is awkward. Perhaps it’s “She leaves gently ______ her baby...” but it’s written as “Leave gently”.

Assuming it’s “She leaves gently ______ her baby...” — then “leaves” is present tense, and we need a verb form.

If she is placing the baby, then “lays” — but the blank is after “gently”, so likely “lays” or “laying”.

But the instruction is to choose “lie” or “lay” — so probably “lays” for present tense third person.

Wait — the sentence is: “Leave gently ______ her baby in the crib.”

This might be a typo — perhaps it’s “She leaves gently ______ her baby...”

Or “Leave” is part of the phrase — like “Please leave gently ______ her baby...”

Still confusing.

Another interpretation: “Leave” might be a name? Unlikely.

Perhaps it’s “She lay gently ______ her baby...” — but it says “Leave”.

I think there’s a typo — likely it’s “She lays gently ______ her baby...” or “She lay gently ______ her baby...”

Given that, and assuming it’s past tense (since other sentences mix tenses), and “her baby” is being placed, so “laid” — past tense of “lay”.

But the blank is for the verb — so if it’s “She ______ her baby”, then “laid”.

But the sentence says “Leave gently ______” — perhaps “gently” is modifying the verb, and “Leave” is a mistake.

To move forward, I’ll assume it’s “She ______ her baby in the crib” and it’s past tense → laid

But let’s look at the original text: “Leave gently ______ her baby in the crib.”

Perhaps “Leave” is “She left” — but it’s written as “Leave”.

I think it’s safer to assume it’s “She laid her baby in the crib” — so laid

But the blank is after “gently”, so maybe “gently laid”

Yes — “gently laid” makes sense.

So for #4: laid

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5) The map ______ scattered around Penny's room.

→ The map is resting/scattered → use “lie”
Past tense: “lay” (because “lie” past is “lay”)
“The map lay scattered” — yes, that works.

✔ Answer: lay

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6) Ruth had ______ badly on her back, before she felt relaxed.

→ Ruth was resting on her back → use “lie”
“Had” + past participle → past participle of “lie” is “lain”
So “had lain”

✔ Answer: lain

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7) Since it ______ its books on the desk.

→ “It” is placing books → use “lay”
“Since it” — what tense? Probably present perfect or simple past.

“Since it laid its books” — past tense → laid

Because “lay” present, “laid” past.

✔ Answer: laid

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8) The true beauty of the valley ______ along the cliffs.

→ The beauty is resting/located along the cliffs → use “lie”
What tense? Likely present — “lies”
But the blank is for “lie” or “lay” — so “lies” is present tense of “lie”

The worksheet asks for “form of the words ‘lie’ or ‘lay’” — so “lies” is acceptable as a form of “lie”.

✔ Answer: lies

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Now back to #3: “Rebecca ______ that it was her birthday.”

If we must choose from the forms given, and ignore the “tell a lie” meaning, then none fit well.

But if we allow “lied” as past tense of “lie” (to deceive), then lied

Given that this is a common usage, and the sentence only makes sense with “lied”, I’ll go with lied

Some worksheets include this dual meaning.

So final answers:

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

But let’s double-check #4: “Leave gently ______ her baby in the crib.”

If “Leave” is a verb, then “Leave gently laying” — but “laying” is present participle.

Perhaps it’s “She leaves gently laying her baby” — but that would be continuous.

I think it’s more likely a typo, and it’s meant to be “She laid her baby gently in the crib” — so laid

Similarly, #7: “Since it ______ its books on the desk.” — “laid” is correct for past tense.

#8: “The true beauty... lies along the cliffs” — present tense, so “lies”

Now, to confirm all:

1) Grandma asked me not to lie in my too-big swing. → correct (base verb after "to")

2) Children can lie up till they grow a span. → correct (base verb after "can")

3) Rebecca lied that it was her birthday. → correct (past tense of "lie" meaning to deceive)

4) Leave gently laid her baby in the crib. → still awkward, but if we interpret as "She gently laid", then ok. Alternatively, if "Leave" is imperative, it doesn't fit. Perhaps it's "She left gently laying" — but that would be "laying". Given the options, "laid" is best for past tense placement.

Actually, upon second thought, "Leave gently" might be "She leaves gently" — present tense — then "lays" — but "lays" is not listed in the chart as a choice; the chart has "lay" for present.

The chart says:
Present simple: lie / lay

So for present tense third person, it would be "lies" / "lays"

For #4, if it's present tense, "She lays gently her baby" — but "gently" should be after the verb or before.

"She gently lays her baby" — so the blank could be "lays"

But the sentence is "Leave gently ______" — which is problematic.

Perhaps "Leave" is a name — "Leave gently laid her baby" — but that's forced.

I think the safest bet is to assume it's past tense and use "laid", as in many similar exercises.

Similarly, for consistency, I'll stick with:

Final Answers:

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

But to match the worksheet's focus, perhaps #3 is intended to be "lay" — but that doesn't make sense.

Another possibility: "Rebecca lay that it was her birthday" — as in "Rebecca rested that it was her birthday" — nonsense.

I think "lied" is correct.

Perhaps the worksheet has a mistake, but for the sake of completing, I'll go with the logical choices.

So here are the answers:

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