Lie Past Tense

The past tense of "lie" is "lay" or “”lied” depending on the meaning.

Lie Past Forms - Exercises

These exercises test different forms of the verb LIE and IRREGULAR VERBS

Lie (to recline or rest)

When "lie" means to recline or rest, the past tense is "lay".

Present: lie
Past: lay
Past Participle: lain
Present Participle: lying

Examples:

Present: "I lie on the couch every afternoon."
Past: "Yesterday, I lay on the couch for an hour."
Past Participle: "She has lain on the beach many times."

Lie (to not tell the truth)

When "lie" means to not tell the truth, the past tense is "lied".

Present: lie
Past: lied
Past Participle: lied
Present Participle: lying

Examples:

Present: "Sometimes, people lie to avoid trouble."
Past: "He lied about finishing his homework."
Past Participle: "She has lied before about her whereabouts."

Summary Table

Meaning	Present	Past	Past Participle	Present Participle
To recline/rest	lie	lay	lain	lying
To not tell the truth	lie	lied	lied	lying

Common Mistakes with "Lie"

Confusing the past forms of "lie" (recline) and "lie" (not tell the truth):

Incorrect: "Yesterday, I lied on the bed."
Correct: "Yesterday, I lay on the bed."

Using "lied" instead of "lay" for reclining:

Remember, if you're talking about resting, lay is the correct past tense.

Mixing up "lay" and "lie":

"Lay" is also a separate verb meaning to place something down (e.g., "I lay the book on the table"). Its past tense is laid.

FAQ

What’s the difference between "lie" (recline) and "lie" (not telling the truth)?

"Lie" meaning to recline refers to physically resting, as in "I lie down on the bed." The past tense is "lay."

"Lie" meaning to not tell the truth refers to being dishonest, as in "She lied about her homework." The past tense is "lied."

What is the past participle of "lie" when it means to recline?

The past participle of "lie" (to recline) is "lain". For example, "She has lain on the beach many times."

How can I remember the difference between "lay" and "lied"?

Think of "lay" as resting (e.g., "I lay down to sleep yesterday") and "lied" as being untruthful (e.g., "He lied about his grades").

Is "lain" commonly used?

"Lain" is the past participle of "lie" (to recline) and is often used in perfect tenses, like "has lain" or "had lain." Although it’s correct, it’s less common in everyday conversation.

Can "lay" also be a present tense verb?

Yes, but as a different verb meaning to place something down (e.g., "I lay the book on the table"). The past tense of this meaning is laid.