[Grammar] lay down

[diegoami]

Is the following sentence correct ?

If the black guy lay down, he might survive.

or should it be

If the black guy lied down, he might survive.


Thanks

 

[Searching for language]

Is the following sentence correct ?

If the black guy lay down, he might survive.

If the black guy would lie down, he might survive.
If the black guy lies down, he might survive.
or should it be

If the black guy lied down, he might survive.
If the black guy had lain down, he might have survived.

Thanks

I am not a teacher.

 

[2006]

Is the following sentence correct ?

If the black guy lies down, he might survive. :tick:



Thanks

2006

 

[diegoami]

Actually that doesn't sound right to me, I am trying to build a conditional sentence Type 2, and for that I should use the simple past afaik.
Why the conditional tense?
Conditional Sentence Type 2

→ It is possible but very unlikely, that the condition will be fulfilled.
Form: if + Simple Past, Conditional I (= would + Infinitive)
Example: If I found her address, I would send her an invitation.


If we had more money (now) we might travel a lot (now).
If I played the lottery, I would have a chance to hit the jackpot.

 

[diegoami]

2006

Some Context

http://i.imgur.com/6IdQD.jpg

It is an unreal conditional "sentence", the black guy might survive if he lay (lied) down, but he is unlikely to (in the last frame, he is still sitting)

"If the black guy lies down, he might survive" is a Conditional sentence of type I, and I don't want that

Conditional Sentence Type 1

→ It is possible and also very likely that the condition will be fulfilled.
Form: if + Simple Present, will-Future
Example: If I find her address, I’ll send her an invitation.

 

[TheParser]

Is the following sentence correct ?

If the black guy lay down, he might survive.

or should it be

If the black guy lied down, he might survive.


Thanks

***NOT A TEACHER***diegoami, good afternoon. What a great question. As a native speaker, I am ashamed that I cannot give you an answer with 100% confidence. All I can do is offer a few points until you get a better answer: (1) Well, "lied" is, of course, wrong. "Lied" is the past tense of "to lie" (not tell the truth). (2) Maybe (maybe!!!) "If the guy lay down, he might survive" is grammatically correct. (3) I DO know that many Americans refuse to use "lay" for the past tense of "to lie" (be on your back). Many Americans say, "Yesterday I laid on the beach." (Of course, "laid" is the past of "to lay" (put something). (4) I cannot prove it, but maybe "lay" sounds "strange" to Americans because they are so used to the past ending in an -ed sound. (5) By the way, I linked to that comic strip that you saw. Of course, if you were describing what happened, you would have said: Sadly, the guy died when the train hit him. If he had lain down, he would have survived because the train would have passed over him. (6) That's all I can offer. Let's see whether someone can explain to you -- and me -- why "If he lay down, he might survive" is "wrong." Have a nice day.

 

[Raymott]

Is the following sentence correct ?

If the black guy lay down, he might survive.

or should it be

If the black guy lied down, he might survive.


Thanks

Your sentence is correct.
Your conditional sentence would be:
If the black guy lay down, he would survive.
If it's not completely certain that he would survive, you can say:
If the black guy lay down, he might survive. - as you have.
(lie/lay/lain)
For 'lie' = mentire: lie/lied/lied