Wrong Words

Sometimes people use words, which do not mean what they think they mean. One good example is the confusion between the verbs "to lie" and "to lay". "To lie" is an intransitive verb, that is, a verb which does not require an object. "To lay", on the other hand is transitive, that is, it DOES require an object.

Too much exposure to "Eastenders" has filled people's minds with wrong ideas. So often they speak of "laying in bed", in response to which one always wants to ask, "Eggs?"

Pupils think I am teaching them a foreign language when I tell them that they must replace the set of words "lay, laid, laid" with "lie, lay, lain". Here are some examples to compare:

I lie on the floor every day.
I lay on the floor yesterday.
I have lain on the floor many times.
I like lying on the floor.

I always lay the books on the table.
I laid them there last week.
I have always laid them on the shelf.

Another example is using "may" instead of "might"

If burglars are released from prison, they may break into houses.

If burglars are released from prison, they might break into houses.