Perhaps you are getting tired of my tirades against people who abuse our language. If so, too bad, since I am now going to discuss yet another incidence of maltreatment—the seemingly universal misuse of the irregular verbs sit, set, lie, and lay.

Let’s begin with sit and set. The difference between these two words is simple: Sit means to park your posterior (behind) on a chair, sofa, or anyplace else where one might be inclined to park one’s posterior; for example, “Please sit down on the stool in the corner until you can learn to speak correct English.” 

Set, on the other hand, means to place something on something else and always takes a direct object (a word that receives the action of a verb); for example, “Please set this vase on the table.” In this sentence, “vase” is the direct object. Just remember that the direct object always answers the question “what” or “whom” after the verb. In this case, set what? The answer of course is vase.

Now, here is where things begin to get complicated. You see, the various tenses of these two verbs include present tense (I sit down or he sits down; but I set the vase or he sets the vase); simple past (I sat down; but I set the vase); present and past perfect (he has sat down, I have sat down; we had sat down; but he has set the vase; I have set the vase; he had set the vase); present and past progressive, (he is sitting; we are sitting; he was sitting; we were sitting; but he is setting the vase; I am setting the vase; he was setting the vase; you were setting the vase); and of course, future, future perfect, passive, subjunctive tense, and so on; but I think I’ve confused you enough for now. So let’s move on to lie and lay.

There are actually two forms of the verb lie, one meaning to tell a fib, the other meaning to go into a reclining position or to be in a reclining position. However, when referring to telling a fib, people rarely misuse “lie.” Why? Well, because in this instance, “lie” is a regular verb and does not change form:

a.      John quite often lies about his weight.

b.      John lied to Mary about his weight.

c.      John has lied about his weight on numerous occasions.

d.      John had lied about his weight even before he met Mary.

e.      John is lying about his weight yet again.

However, when using “lie” in reference to being in a reclining position, many people misuse it because, in this instance, “lie” is an irregular verb and, thus, changes form:

a.      I want to lie down and take a nap after lunch.

b.      Yesterday, I lay down to take a nap at 3:00. (Yes, the simple past of lie is lay)

c.      I had just lain down when the telephone rang.

d.      Mother is lying down in the bedroom.

Lay, on the other hand, means “to place or put so as to be in a resting position; or to put down or place;” plus, like “set,” “lay” takes a direct object:

1. The hen is laying eggs (Eggs = direct object).
2. The hen laid a dozen eggs last week.
3. The hen has laid a dozen eggs.
4. The hen is laying eggs.

The problem is that people confuse the verbs lie and lay, which is why you hear them saying things like “Mama is laying down;” “I want to lay down and take a nap;” or “I had just laid down when the phone rang.” No, no, a thousand times no. Perhaps Mama can lay eggs, but she most certainly cannot lay down, that is, unless she is laying down, as in goose feathers, on top of something, although I’m not exactly sure what that something would be or why Mama would be laying down on it.