LIE - To lie down is an act that can be attributed to the subject.
There is no object of this verb, as the subject is doing the action without a receiver.
Conjugation of LIE:
I lie down today. (present tense)
The money lay there yesterday. (past tense)
Sarah will lie down there tomorrow. (future tense)
The book has lain here many times before. (use perfect tense with have, had, has)
LAY - Lay must have a direct object. One lays something down. (Hint: substitute "put." If "put" works, then "lay" is also
correct.)
Conjugation of LAY:
I lay the book down. (present tense)
I laid it down yesterday. (past tense)
I will lay it down again tomorrow. (future tense)
I have laid it here many times before. (use perfect tense with have, had, has)
Choose the lie or lay for each of the blanks below. Be sure to use the correct tense.
1. He _____ on the hard pavement this morning, gasping for breath.
2. How long did he _____ there?
3. I don't know how long he had ______ there.
4. He picked up the wounded bird and _____ it gently on the table.
5. She _____ her sewing aside and went to the door.
6. Are you going to _____ there all day?
7. The three puppies ______ in the basket.
8. Linda _____ her coat on the couch.
9. Not feeling well, he _____ in his bed all day.
10 He decided to just _____ around the house all summer.
11 Someone _____ the dictionary on my glasses.
12 The money _____ there all day in plain sight.
13 She had _____ the book on the ground under the tree.
14 Ginny _____ down on a beach towel.
15 I saw the hat that you _____ on the hall table.
16 She had just _____ down for a nap when the phone rang.
17 The two teenagers _____ in the sun all day.
18 Have they _____ the cornerstone of the building yet?
19 She had _____ the coverlet over the child at midnight.
20 He should not ____ the blame for the accident on the other driver.
Ann __1___ the baby on the bed and then __2__ his stuffed bear beside him. I wondered how long the baby would
__3___ there without crying. Aunt Marge said that she remembered one day when he had __4___ in the same
position for an hour. She said another time when she was there, the puppy had __5___ next to the baby on the bed.
She remembered picking up the puppy while it was still asleep. Then she __6__ the puppy on the rug. When Aunt
Marge left, the puppy was still there. It had __7___ there for nearly two hours sound asleep! Meanwhile, the baby
woke up and __8___ quietly for fully half an hour just watching the puppy snore. Finally, neither the puppy nor the
baby could __9___ there any longer, so the baby __10___ on the old sympathy play and started whining pitifully until
Ann was forced to __11___ aside the sweater that she had hoped to finish knitting while the baby __12___ down.
Two is a number. She counted, "One, two, three."
Too is an adverb that can mean also. He wanted to go too.
Too is an adverb that can mean more than enough. This is too much for me!
To + a noun or noun phrase is a preposition. Take me to the ball game. I went to bed early that night.
To + a verb is an infinitive. She wanted to go. He decided to run away.
Choose the correct two, too, or to for each of the blanks below:
1. Many students read _____ quickly and _____ carelessly.
2. I was _____ scared _____ say a word to her!
3. I am going _____ the store now.
4. They are building _____ new houses on our block.
5. May I go _____?
6. Do you think it is _____ late _____ do that now?
7. I have _____ new shirts that I can't wait _____ wear.
8. My dental appointment lasted _____ hours and that was _____ long!
9. This room is _____ cold _____ stay in very much longer.
10. After I played raquetball for _____ hours, I was _____ tired _____ walk home.
11. It is not good _____ put _____ much salt on your food.
12. My next dental appointment is for tomorrow at _____ o'clock.
13. I am not _____ excited about going _____ the dentist again.
14. My brother flew _____ Alabama earlier this week.
15. We have planted _____ rose bushes in pots on the patio.
SIT - To sit is an act that can be attributed to the subject. To sit means to take a resting position.
There is no object of this verb, as the subject is doing the action without a receiver of the action.
Conjugation of SIT:
I sit today. (present tense)
The money sat there yesterday. (past tense)
Sarah will sit there tomorrow. (future tense)
The book has sat here many times before. (use perfect tense with have, had, has)
SET - Set must have a direct object. To set means to place something in a special or certain position. One sets
something down. One sets something right.
(Hint: substitute "put." If "put" works, then "set" is also correct.)
Conjugation of SET:
I set the book down. (present tense)
I set it down yesterday. (past tense)
I will set it down again tomorrow. (future tense)
I have set it here many times before. (use perfect tense with have, had, has)
Choose the sit or set for each of the blanks below. Be sure to use the correct tense.
1- Have you _____ the alarm clock for tomorrow?
2- How long did he _____ there?
3- I don't know how long he had ______ there.
4- He picked up the wounded bird and _____ it gently on the table.
5- She _____ her sewing aside and went to the door.
6- Are you going to _____ there all day?
7- Where shall we ______?
8- Linda _____ her coat on the couch.
9- ______ the packages on the front porch by the door.
10- He decided to just _____ around the house all summer.
11- Someone _____ the dictionary on my glasses.
12- The money _____ there all day in plain sight.
13- She had _____ the book on the ground under the tree.
14- Ginny _____ down on a beach towel.
15- I always ______ near the door.
16- Dr. Javier _____ my brother's arm when he broke it.
17- The two teenagers _____ in the sun all day.
18- Chris may ____ a new record in the race today.
19- Just _____ right here until they call your name.
20- Sandy, please _______ the table.
Direct Objects and Set: Go back and find the direct objects (if any) in each sentence. If the verb choice has a
direct object, then it should be "set." The verb "sit" does not take an object.