Some of us are confused about when to use lie and when to use lay.

Years ago, I attended a workshop by Janis Bell and came away with these jewels that I never actually remember! But I have my notes to refer to.

Janis’s explanation:

“Lie” cannot have a person, place, or thing attached.

I lie on the couch to read.

“Lay” has a person, place, or thing attached:

Chickens lay eggs.

Another gem:

When to use “had.”

When the action is past, past tense. This is called past perfect verb tense.

“Had” is used to show that one past event happened before another past event.

For example:

I had phoned before I went to visit Susie.

“Had phoned” emphasizes what happened first.

Versus:

I phoned before I visited Susie.

Both happened in the past; the order is clear.

“Clean, Well-Lighted Sentences: A Guide to Avoiding the Most Common Errors in Grammar and Punctuation,” by Janis Bell.

From Janis’s website:

“This book is for people who know what they want to say but aren’t entirely confident in their way of putting it in print. It’s for those who want to write in a way that commands respect . . . a chance for people to create sentences they can be truly proud of.”

“Janis Bell, English professor and writing consultant . . . created this guide after teaching writing for more than three decades. She knows, by heart, the questions that students and businesspeople are inclined to ask. And she answers, from the heart, in ways that delight.”