Why "laying low" is a linguistic slip-up

Reviewed and edited by

Anwar Kareem 01/10/2024, 05:44

English.me team member

What kind of error is it?

Laying low or lying low. What's correct?

It's a grammatical error involving the misuse of "lay" and "lie".

Why do people make this mistake?

The verbs "lay" and "lie" are often confused because they have similar meanings and because "lay" is both the past tense of "lie" and the base form of another verb. Additionally, in casual speech, incorrect usage has become common, further contributing to the confusion.

What is correct?

The correct phrase is "lying low" because "lie" is the verb that means to recline or be in a flat position, whereas "lay" requires a direct object and means to place something down.

Examples of correct usage

I will be lying low until the situation calms down.
She has been lying low for a few weeks now.
We decided to lie low after the recent events.