I admit it, there are times when I’m writing and I absolutely cannot brain whether to use lie or lay. It’s simple, but then I made a mistake before. Am I making it again?

This is one of those things that trips people up all the time, especially native speakers of the language. So, to help in the fight, today I bring you…

Lay your phone down and lie on the bed.

If you’re doing it to something else, use lay. If you’re doing it, use lie.

A handy trick I picked up is to remember that chickens lay eggs. People lie down.

Also, I keep this image where I can get to it so I don’t spend loads of time trying to think through what I’m doing.

Hope this helps a little bit!

I’m going to follow up today with some other writing tips I’ve picked up over time in posts on my Facebook and Twitter. If you’re not already following, come on over and join the discussion.