Which word I need to translate?

[Harry]

ESL/EFL Test "Is she lying?", question 1

She's been laying on that couch now for the last six hours and is fast asleep.

(a) laying
(b) for
(c) last
(d) fast

ESL/EFL Test "Is she lying?", answer 1

She's been lying on that couch now for the last six hours and is fast asleep.

Correct entry: lying
The error was: (a) laying
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OK I don't understand which of the words I need to translate (underline:red, blue or green)?

[Alan]

Hi English Learner,

You have to click on the word you think is wrong. In this sentence it is (a) (laying). Then in the space at the end you write the correct word (lying).

Alan
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story A New Season

[Anahi]

HI Alan! i would like to know why here the right answer is lying and not Laying . Is she telling a lie on the couch??? And if she's having a nap on the couch wouldn't she be laying on it???

NOw i'm having doubts concerned on what i know about to lie and to lay.. could you explain me this a litlle better please??

Thanks in regard

[Alan]

Hi Anahi,

There are two verbs:
(1) lie - lay - lain
This one doesn't take an object.

(2) lay - laid - laid
This one takes an object.

So we have: She is lying on the bed. (no object)

She is laying the cover on the bed. (with object)

The problem is that there is also a third verb:
(3) lie - lied - lied

and this one means not to tell the truth.

The next problem is that the Present Continuous of (1) and (3) have the same spelling: She is lying. You can of course see which one it is from the rest of the sentence.

Alan
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English as a Foreign Language
You can read my EFL story Conditionals