Lay or Lie in “what powers lies between their hands”?
This is for sure a duplicate question, but I'm sorry I'm just getting confused no matter how many articles I read. In the sentence,
And still they are not aware what powers lies between their hands!
Should this be lays, lies? And what should it be if the tense were changed to "were not aware"?
word-usage verbs lie-lay-lain-laid
edited Nov 13 '18 at 4:28
200_success
6,45112751
asked Nov 12 '18 at 22:31
12527481252748
226129
add a comment |
This is for sure a duplicate question, but I'm sorry I'm just getting confused no matter how many articles I read. In the sentence,
And still they are not aware what powers lies between their hands!
Should this be lays, lies? And what should it be if the tense were changed to "were not aware"?
word-usage verbs lie-lay-lain-laid
edited Nov 13 '18 at 4:28
200_success
6,45112751
asked Nov 12 '18 at 22:31
12527481252748
226129
6
It should be lie. Not lies, not lays.
– Robusto
Nov 12 '18 at 22:32
3
Or power instead of powers
– Henry
Nov 12 '18 at 23:01
@Henry good point. Worth some thought thanks!
– 1252748
Nov 12 '18 at 23:05
add a comment |
This is for sure a duplicate question, but I'm sorry I'm just getting confused no matter how many articles I read. In the sentence,
And still they are not aware what powers lies between their hands!
Should this be lays, lies? And what should it be if the tense were changed to "were not aware"?
word-usage verbs lie-lay-lain-laid
edited Nov 13 '18 at 4:28
200_success
6,45112751
asked Nov 12 '18 at 22:31
12527481252748
226129
This is for sure a duplicate question, but I'm sorry I'm just getting confused no matter how many articles I read. In the sentence,
And still they are not aware what powers lies between their hands!
Should this be lays, lies? And what should it be if the tense were changed to "were not aware"?
word-usage verbs lie-lay-lain-laid
word-usage verbs lie-lay-lain-laid
edited Nov 13 '18 at 4:28
200_success
6,45112751
asked Nov 12 '18 at 22:31
12527481252748
226129
edited Nov 13 '18 at 4:28
200_success
6,45112751
asked Nov 12 '18 at 22:31
12527481252748
226129
edited Nov 13 '18 at 4:28
200_success
6,45112751
edited Nov 13 '18 at 4:28
200_success
6,45112751
edited Nov 13 '18 at 4:28
200_success
6,45112751
6,45112751
asked Nov 12 '18 at 22:31
12527481252748
226129
asked Nov 12 '18 at 22:31
12527481252748
226129
asked Nov 12 '18 at 22:31
12527481252748
226129
226129
6
It should be lie. Not lies, not lays.
– Robusto
Nov 12 '18 at 22:32
3
Or power instead of powers
– Henry
Nov 12 '18 at 23:01
@Henry good point. Worth some thought thanks!
– 1252748
Nov 12 '18 at 23:05
add a comment |
6
It should be lie. Not lies, not lays.
– Robusto
Nov 12 '18 at 22:32
3
Or power instead of powers
– Henry
Nov 12 '18 at 23:01
@Henry good point. Worth some thought thanks!
– 1252748
Nov 12 '18 at 23:05
6
6
It should be lie. Not lies, not lays.
– Robusto
Nov 12 '18 at 22:32
It should be lie. Not lies, not lays.
– Robusto
Nov 12 '18 at 22:32
3
3
Or power instead of powers
– Henry
Nov 12 '18 at 23:01
Or power instead of powers
– Henry
Nov 12 '18 at 23:01
@Henry good point. Worth some thought thanks!
– 1252748
Nov 12 '18 at 23:05
@Henry good point. Worth some thought thanks!
– 1252748
Nov 12 '18 at 23:05
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
And still they are not aware what powers lie between their hands!
And still they were not aware what powers lay between their hands!
B1 [ I + adv/prep, L ]
present participle lying
past tense lay
past participle lain
If something lies in a particular place, position, or direction, it is
in that place, position, or direction
Lie (Cambridge)
Lie (Collins)
English verb: to lie
Present tense:
Singular: I lie, you lie, he/she/it lies.
Plural: we lie, you lie, they lie.
Past tense:
Singular: I lay, you lay, he/she/it lay.
Plural: we lay, you lay, they lay.
answered Nov 12 '18 at 22:36
Michael HarveyMichael Harvey
5,74211119
add a comment |
I agree with the other answers but, just to confuse you further, there's another possibility.
And still they are not aware what power lies between their hands!
This means that they have power between their hands but they are not aware of it.
And still they are not aware what power lays between their hands!
This means that 'power' is treated as an agent and it places something unspecified into their hands, i.e.
"And still they are not aware of the thing that power lays between their hands!"
So my answer is that both are possible but they mean different things.
answered Nov 12 '18 at 23:57
chasly from UKchasly from UK
23k13070
To make the latter more clear: ...what [thing] power lays between....
– Drew
Nov 13 '18 at 3:59
Drew: no. Lays is the present tense of the transitive verb "to lay".
– Michael Harvey
Nov 13 '18 at 20:54
add a comment |
Your Answer
StackExchange.ready(function()
var channelOptions =
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "97"
;
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);
StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function()
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled)
StackExchange.using("snippets", function()
createEditor();
);
else
createEditor();
);
function createEditor()
StackExchange.prepareEditor(
heartbeatType: 'answer',
autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
convertImagesToLinks: false,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: null,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader:
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
,
noCode: true, onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
);
);
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function ()
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fenglish.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f472677%2flay-or-lie-in-what-powers-lies-between-their-hands%23new-answer', 'question_page');
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
And still they are not aware what powers lie between their hands!
And still they were not aware what powers lay between their hands!
B1 [ I + adv/prep, L ]
present participle lying
past tense lay
past participle lain
If something lies in a particular place, position, or direction, it is
in that place, position, or direction
Lie (Cambridge)
Lie (Collins)
English verb: to lie
Present tense:
Singular: I lie, you lie, he/she/it lies.
Plural: we lie, you lie, they lie.
Past tense:
Singular: I lay, you lay, he/she/it lay.
Plural: we lay, you lay, they lay.
answered Nov 12 '18 at 22:36
Michael HarveyMichael Harvey
5,74211119
add a comment |
And still they are not aware what powers lie between their hands!
And still they were not aware what powers lay between their hands!
B1 [ I + adv/prep, L ]
present participle lying
past tense lay
past participle lain
If something lies in a particular place, position, or direction, it is
in that place, position, or direction
Lie (Cambridge)
Lie (Collins)
English verb: to lie
Present tense:
Singular: I lie, you lie, he/she/it lies.
Plural: we lie, you lie, they lie.
Past tense:
Singular: I lay, you lay, he/she/it lay.
Plural: we lay, you lay, they lay.
answered Nov 12 '18 at 22:36
Michael HarveyMichael Harvey
5,74211119
add a comment |
And still they are not aware what powers lie between their hands!
And still they were not aware what powers lay between their hands!
B1 [ I + adv/prep, L ]
present participle lying
past tense lay
past participle lain
If something lies in a particular place, position, or direction, it is
in that place, position, or direction
Lie (Cambridge)
Lie (Collins)
English verb: to lie
Present tense:
Singular: I lie, you lie, he/she/it lies.
Plural: we lie, you lie, they lie.
Past tense:
Singular: I lay, you lay, he/she/it lay.
Plural: we lay, you lay, they lay.
answered Nov 12 '18 at 22:36
Michael HarveyMichael Harvey
5,74211119
And still they are not aware what powers lie between their hands!
And still they were not aware what powers lay between their hands!
B1 [ I + adv/prep, L ]
present participle lying
past tense lay
past participle lain
If something lies in a particular place, position, or direction, it is
in that place, position, or direction
Lie (Cambridge)
Lie (Collins)
English verb: to lie
Present tense:
Singular: I lie, you lie, he/she/it lies.
Plural: we lie, you lie, they lie.
Past tense:
Singular: I lay, you lay, he/she/it lay.
Plural: we lay, you lay, they lay.
answered Nov 12 '18 at 22:36
Michael HarveyMichael Harvey
5,74211119
edited Nov 13 '18 at 19:04
answered Nov 12 '18 at 22:36
Michael HarveyMichael Harvey
5,74211119
answered Nov 12 '18 at 22:36
Michael HarveyMichael Harvey
5,74211119
answered Nov 12 '18 at 22:36
Michael HarveyMichael Harvey
5,74211119
5,74211119
add a comment |
add a comment |
I agree with the other answers but, just to confuse you further, there's another possibility.
And still they are not aware what power lies between their hands!
This means that they have power between their hands but they are not aware of it.
And still they are not aware what power lays between their hands!
This means that 'power' is treated as an agent and it places something unspecified into their hands, i.e.
"And still they are not aware of the thing that power lays between their hands!"
So my answer is that both are possible but they mean different things.
answered Nov 12 '18 at 23:57
chasly from UKchasly from UK
23k13070
To make the latter more clear: ...what [thing] power lays between....
– Drew
Nov 13 '18 at 3:59
Drew: no. Lays is the present tense of the transitive verb "to lay".
– Michael Harvey
Nov 13 '18 at 20:54
add a comment |
I agree with the other answers but, just to confuse you further, there's another possibility.
And still they are not aware what power lies between their hands!
This means that they have power between their hands but they are not aware of it.
And still they are not aware what power lays between their hands!
This means that 'power' is treated as an agent and it places something unspecified into their hands, i.e.
"And still they are not aware of the thing that power lays between their hands!"
So my answer is that both are possible but they mean different things.
answered Nov 12 '18 at 23:57
chasly from UKchasly from UK
23k13070
To make the latter more clear: ...what [thing] power lays between....
– Drew
Nov 13 '18 at 3:59
Drew: no. Lays is the present tense of the transitive verb "to lay".
– Michael Harvey
Nov 13 '18 at 20:54
add a comment |
I agree with the other answers but, just to confuse you further, there's another possibility.
And still they are not aware what power lies between their hands!
This means that they have power between their hands but they are not aware of it.
And still they are not aware what power lays between their hands!
This means that 'power' is treated as an agent and it places something unspecified into their hands, i.e.
"And still they are not aware of the thing that power lays between their hands!"
So my answer is that both are possible but they mean different things.
answered Nov 12 '18 at 23:57
chasly from UKchasly from UK
23k13070
I agree with the other answers but, just to confuse you further, there's another possibility.
And still they are not aware what power lies between their hands!
This means that they have power between their hands but they are not aware of it.
And still they are not aware what power lays between their hands!
This means that 'power' is treated as an agent and it places something unspecified into their hands, i.e.
"And still they are not aware of the thing that power lays between their hands!"
So my answer is that both are possible but they mean different things.
answered Nov 12 '18 at 23:57
chasly from UKchasly from UK
23k13070
answered Nov 12 '18 at 23:57
chasly from UKchasly from UK
23k13070
answered Nov 12 '18 at 23:57
chasly from UKchasly from UK
23k13070
answered Nov 12 '18 at 23:57
chasly from UKchasly from UK
23k13070
23k13070
To make the latter more clear: ...what [thing] power lays between....
– Drew
Nov 13 '18 at 3:59
Drew: no. Lays is the present tense of the transitive verb "to lay".
– Michael Harvey
Nov 13 '18 at 20:54
add a comment |
To make the latter more clear: ...what [thing] power lays between....
– Drew
Nov 13 '18 at 3:59
Drew: no. Lays is the present tense of the transitive verb "to lay".
– Michael Harvey
Nov 13 '18 at 20:54
To make the latter more clear: ...what [thing] power lays between....
– Drew
Nov 13 '18 at 3:59
To make the latter more clear: ...what [thing] power lays between....
– Drew
Nov 13 '18 at 3:59
Drew: no. Lays is the present tense of the transitive verb "to lay".
– Michael Harvey
Nov 13 '18 at 20:54
Drew: no. Lays is the present tense of the transitive verb "to lay".
– Michael Harvey
Nov 13 '18 at 20:54
add a comment |
Thanks for contributing an answer to English Language & Usage Stack Exchange!
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Some of your past answers have not been well-received, and you're in danger of being blocked from answering.
Please pay close attention to the following guidance:
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function ()
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fenglish.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f472677%2flay-or-lie-in-what-powers-lies-between-their-hands%23new-answer', 'question_page');
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
6
It should be lie. Not lies, not lays.
– Robusto
Nov 12 '18 at 22:32
3
Or power instead of powers
– Henry
Nov 12 '18 at 23:01
@Henry good point. Worth some thought thanks!
– 1252748
Nov 12 '18 at 23:05