Is "laying" correct?

I had a house warming party with a few colleagues in college years ago. It lasted way into the night and though I don’t drink, everyone else did. I ended up falling asleep on the couch in the living room. Early the next morning, I awoke to find myself shirtless and barefoot. Next to me was a younger male colleague passed out laying opposite me with his face touching my bare feet. I wiggled my toes making him groan.

Shouldn’t it be “lying” instead?

Thanks!

4 Likes

Yes, it should be ‘lying’ instead of ‘laying’. You need the intransitive verb ‘lie’ because the person is already lying, which means he is no longer moving.

To lay down describes a movement.

4 Likes

You should think of Connor Whyte’s poem “As I lay dying”.

Lying ==> lie, lay, lain as in “I don’t feel well, I think I’m going to lie down for a while.”
Lying ==> lie, lied, lied as in “She lied through her teeth.”
Laying ==> lay, laid, laid as in “The table was beautifully laid.”

4 Likes

That is how I explain in my classes, Masme.
But there is another such verb HANG, which takes its forms in a confusing manner like this.
HANG - HANGED - HANGING - HANGED (The criminal was hanged to death)
HANG - HUNG - HANGING - HUNG (The portrait is hung on the wall)

3 Likes

Nice, Anglophile, but in the past when someone was hung, drawn and quartered…how do you explain that?

P.S.: If it’s Friday, this must be Brussels… :wink:

2 Likes

If it is hanging, then it must be hanged! :thinking:

3 Likes

Yes, indeed my dear friend! Oh, I do so adore you. It is hanging, but the expression was hung, drawn and quartered; the person was hanged by the neck, drawn behind a horse through the streets and then cut into four pieces. One of the most cruel death penalties one could get. However, have a nice weekend.

3 Likes