Which one of the following sentences is grammatically correct?

A. I really need to lay down.
B. Sit it down over there by the window.
C. I thought it would be best if I were to rise the curtain.
D. The men came today to lay the carpet in the living room.

Let's take B and C first.

Sit doesn't take an object. Example: I will sit and relax a moment.

Rise doesn't take an object. Example: The sun will rise in a few minutes.

Now -- for the tricky verbs -- lay and lie.

Lay means to put and takes an object. Example: Please lay the spoon next to the knife.

Lie means to recline. Example: I wanted to lie in bed until noon.

As you can see, D. is the correct answer.

Check this site for more information.

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/esl/eslirrverb.html

Thank you sue your the best

You're very welcome. :-)

Thank you for the great explanation of “lay” vs “lie”! I am constantly correcting people around me.

That said, I’m hoping you can answer a grammar question for me. One of my favorite genres of tv and movies is crime drama. There are constantly characters demanding other characters to either “put the gun down” or “put down the gun”. I’m confused as to which usage of “down” is correct. Can you please explain which usage is correct?

You're welcome! I'm glad I could help. If you have any more questions or need further explanations, feel free to ask.