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Thread: laying

  1. #1
    ratóncolorao is offline Member
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    Default laying

    Hello,

    I would like to know whether you find this sentence correct or not:

    We like laying on the sofa and curling up for half and hour

    Thank you for your help

  2. #2
    englishhobby is offline Member
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    Default Re: laying

    No, that's not correct. We like LYING on the sofa (or TO LIE on the sofa) is correct.
    You can LAY (= put down) something on the sofa, but you LIE there yourself.
    Last edited by englishhobby; 20-Dec-2011 at 18:57.
    ratóncolorao and Rover_KE like this.

  3. #3
    Barb_D's Avatar
    Barb_D is offline Moderator
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    Default Re: laying

    Presumably they are not hens, and you are not collecting eggs?

    If not, then it should be lying. However, the majority of native speakers mix these words up at least some of the time in speech, including me. I say it... but I don't usually write it.

    The word "like" (as you know, I'm sure) wouldn't belong in writing either.
    ratóncolorao likes this.
    I'm not a teacher, but I write for a living. Please don't ask me about 2nd conditionals, but I'm a safe bet for what reads well in (American) English.

  4. #4
    ratóncolorao is offline Member
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    Threadstarter / Original Poster

    Default Re: laying

    Jajaja, I was thinking of "lying" but I, obviously, misspelt it.

    So, the sentence should be: We like lying on the sofa and curling up.....

    Thank you

  5. #5
    ratóncolorao is offline Member
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    Threadstarter / Original Poster

    Default Re: laying

    Quote Originally Posted by Barb_D View Post
    Presumably they are not hens, and you are not collecting eggs?

    If not, then it should be lying. However, the majority of native speakers mix these words up at least some of the time in speech, including me. I say it... but I don't usually write it.

    The word "like" (as you know, I'm sure) wouldn't belong in writing either.
    I am not sure about the meaning of your last sentence.... would you mind explaning it to me? Thank you.

  6. #6
    SoothingDave is offline Key Member
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    Default Re: laying

    Quote Originally Posted by ratóncolorao View Post
    Hello,

    I would like to know whether you find this sentence correct or not:

    We like laying on the sofa and curling up for half and hour

    Thank you for your help
    I think you meant "half an hour."

  7. #7
    ratóncolorao is offline Member
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    Default Re: laying

    Quote Originally Posted by SoothingDave View Post
    I think you meant "half an hour."
    Of course. Clearly I was up in the clouds when I wrote it.

    Thank you.

  8. #8
    Barb_D's Avatar
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    Default Re: laying

    Oh well. Your "head in the clouds" disease is catching.

    I read this as "We were like lying" the way teenagers say "like" all the time. "And he was, like, all over the place, and, like, screaming at us."

    Ignore my comment about like in my prior post.
    birdeen's call likes this.
    I'm not a teacher, but I write for a living. Please don't ask me about 2nd conditionals, but I'm a safe bet for what reads well in (American) English.

  9. #9
    ratóncolorao is offline Member
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    Threadstarter / Original Poster

    Default Re: laying

    Quote Originally Posted by Barb_D View Post
    Oh well. Your "head in the clouds" disease is catching.

    I read this as "We were like lying" the way teenagers say "like" all the time. "And he was, like, all over the place, and, like, screaming at us."

    Ignore my comment about like in my prior post.
    Thank you for your help.

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