Take a look at the sentence again:
Theodora will nuzzle a snake, kiss a frog, and let a tarantula crawl up
her arm. But if you were __________ a bowl of lima beans on the dining room
table, she would run screaming from the house.
The problem for Theodora is that you might put a bowl of lima beans on the table. Thus, you need a form of lay. The sentence requires an infinitive. Consult the table below or review the rules.
| Infinitive | Definition | Simple Present | Simple Past | Past Participle | Present Participle |
| to lay | to put something down | lay(s) | laid | laid | laying |
| to lie | to rest or recline | lie(s) | lay | lain | lying |