what is the difference between something laying on a table or something lying on the table?

Answer 1

Lay and lie are hard to get right. Remember, lay means “to place.” Lie means “to recline.”

• Watch carefully as I lay the rabbit on the table.
• As you can see, the rabbit will lie down on the table.


Past Tense

People confuse lay and lie because the past tense of lie is lay. If you memorize these two progressions, you’ll have a much easier time keeping everything straight:



Present, Past, Past Participle - lay, laid, laid

• Now I have to lay this tomato on the cutting board.
• Yesterday, I laid a tomato on the cutting board.
• I had just laid the tomato down when you called.



Present, Past, Past Participle - lie, lay, lain

• I think I’ll lie down for a while.
• Yesterday I lay awake instead of napping.
• I could have lain there fruitlessly, but instead I got up and vacuumed.

Answer 2

Actually Lying is the present participle of lie. When you don't tell the truth you are lying.

Laying on the other hand is laying ON something or a verb such as the chicken is laying eggs.

Answer 3

Laying means the same as putting something down. I guess it's a verb.

Lying means that it is already on the table.

Answer 4

Laying is incorrect. It should be lying.