367. Lie and Lay
(a) Lie
(X) I'm going to lay down for an hour.
(O) I'm going to lie down for an hour.
(b) Lay
(X) Please lie the exam papers on the desk.
(O) Please lay out the exam papers on the desk.
Lie (= to rest) is an intransitive verb and never has an object.
Lay (= to put) is a transitive verb and always requires an object.
Their principal parts are "lie, lay, lain" and "lay, laid, laid".
Note: "Lie, lied, lied" is to tell an untruth: He has lied to me.
"Lay, laid, laid" also means to produce eggs: The hen has laid an egg.
(Idiom: "Lay the table." is to prepare the table for a meal.)
368. Sit and Seat
(a) Sit
(X) We seat at a desk to write a letter.
(O) We sit at a desk to write a letter.
(b) Seat
(X) He sat the passengers one by one.
(O) He seated the passengers one by one.
Use sit as an intransitive verb. Seat is a transitive verb and requires an object.
Very often the object of seat is a reflexive pronoun: He seated himself near the fire.
The principal parts of the two verbs are: "sit, sat, sat" and "seat, seated, seated".
Note: Don't confuse sit with set, which usually means to place.
Common idioms with set: set the table, set on fire, set off(or out), set a trap, set a clock, set a price,
set your heart on, set free, set an example, set a broken bone, set to work (= start work).