What is the past tense of 'lay'?

What is the past tense of 'lay'?

• A. Laid
• B. Lay
• C. Lays
• D. Laying

Answer: (A)

Lay is a transitive verb meaning to place something down. Its past tense is irregular: laid. Use it to describe a completed action of putting something somewhere. For example, Yesterday I laid the book on the table. The present tense of lay looks different (I lay the book down), while the third-person singular present is lays, and the present participle is laying. A common mix-up is with the verb lie, which means to recline; its past tense is lay and its past participle is lain. Remember: laid is the past tense (and also the past participle) of lay.

Lay is a transitive verb meaning to place something down. Its past tense is irregular: laid. Use it to describe a completed action of putting something somewhere. For example, Yesterday I laid the book on the table. The present tense of lay looks different (I lay the book down), while the third-person singular present is lays, and the present participle is laying. A common mix-up is with the verb lie, which means to recline; its past tense is lay and its past participle is lain. Remember: laid is the past tense (and also the past participle) of lay.