1. Lie v. Lay, Sit v. Set, Rise v. Raise
Irregular Verbs
Lie v. Lay, Sit v. Set, Rise v. Raise

2. Irregular Verbs What makes a verb irregular?
Irregular verbs do not follow the rules when it comes to conjugations in verb tense.
We all know the basics of making a verb past tense– just add “-ed” to the end! I walk becomes I walked. But many verbs don’t follow this rule.
In fact, over 370 verbs in the English language are considered irregular
We will focus on the most commonly confused irregular verb usage: lie vs. lay, rise v. raise, and sit v. set
Irregular Verbs

3. You can’t just “sound” this out
You can’t just “sound” this out!!! People so infrequently misuse these, that we cannot distinguish the correct usage just in how it sounds.
It helps to know the definition of each verb because the definition is the clue to the correct usage
Lie vs. Lay

4. Lie v. Lay Lay – to put something or someone down.
This is a Transitive verb, meaning it requires an object (i.e. that something or someone in the definition) in order to be grammatically correct.
Before going to bed himself, Jeremy lay his son down to sleep.
Lie – to rest or recline.
This is an Intransitive verb, meaning that it does not take an object.
My dog, Lola, always lies on the sofa when I’m not around.
Lie v. Lay

5. Lie v. Lay Look at the different conjugations in verb tenses below
Notice that the simple past form of lie is the same as the present form of lay. Keeping in mind what tense you are intending to speak in will help you determine which verb to use.
Infinitive
Definition
Simple Present
Simple Past
Past Participle
Present Participle
To lay
To put something down
Lay(s)
laid
laying
To lie
To rest or recline
Lie(s)
lay
lain
lying
Lie v. Lay

6. Lie v. Lay Simple present Simple past
Jack always _______ the cordless telephone where no one can find it.
Charles _______ in the middle of the boxing ring.
Simple past
Rachel ____ her month-late essay in Dr. Cohen's mailbox.
Gently rocked by ocean waves, Robbie _____ on the raft.
Lie v. Lay

7. Again, it is a question of the transitive versus intransitive nature of the verb.
What does transitive mean?
What does intransitive mean?
Sit is intransitive
I sit down
Set is transitive
I set the fork down
Rise is intransitive
I rise at 5am every morning
Raise is transitive
I raise the flag at sunrise.
Set v. Sit, Rise v. Raise

8. Infinitive
Definition
Simple Present
Simple Past
Past Participle
To sit
To be located
Sit(s)
sat
To set
To put down
Set(s)
set
To rise
To get up or increase
Rise(s)
rose
risen
To raise
To lift or bring up
Raise
raised
Example: I sit here today, I sat here yesterday, and I have sat here everyday for the last month.
In the past participle, “have” is called an auxiliary or helping verb
Verb Conjugations

9. More Practice “Won’t you (sit, set) here?” I said to Mrs. Martin.
She (sat, set) down and began talking about Newton’s laws of motion.
“Now (sit, set) that chair out of the way,” she went on.
The curtain (rises, raises), and Celia Cruz takes the stage
The movers (rose, raised) the piano with ropes on a pulley
The river has been (rising, raising) all night.
More Practice