I always have trouble deciding when to use lay vs. lie. I’ve almost given up on the issue. Please help me!
Yours truly,
[name redacted]
P.S. You would LOVE Larry the Cableguy. Git R Done!
Dear [name redacted],
As far as ‘lay vs. lie’ goes, I would be lying if I said the misuse of these didn’t concern me. I have lain awake many a night worrying about it. When I received your question, I lay there for hours wondering how best to lay down the law. I laid my pen and paper next to me in case inspiration hit. It didn’t.
Lucky for me, Grammar Girl already laid out the rules. In the end, I highly recommend you purchase “Grammar for Dummies” as even Grammar Girl confesses to looking these words up every time she uses them. Tonight, I can lie down in peace, knowing there is one less person in the world misusing these words.
Sincerely,
The Grammar Nazi
P.S. Larry the Cableguy is a favorite of mine . . . an unending source of material!
Do you have a question for The Grammar Nazi? Send them to rjljohnson [dot] janet [at] gmail [dot] com.