FAQs about common mistakes

What’s the meaning of laid off?

“Laid off” is a phrasal verb that means “to stop employing someone,” usually due to a lack of work.

For example:

• I was laid off last spring.
• The company laid off 20 employees.

“Laid off” is always spelled like this, as “laid” is the past tense of the verb “lay.” Layed is never correct.

QuillBot’s Grammar Checker can make sure you use “laid off” correctly in your writing.

Read this FAQ: What’s the meaning of laid off?

Is layed a word?

No, layed isn’t a word in standard English. The past tense of the verb lay is laid. Lay is an irregular verb, so it doesn’t add “-ed” to form the past tenses. It is a transitive verb and always needs a direct object to make sense.

Laid is the simple past tense form of lay and is used to describe actions that have already taken place (e.g., “Colleen laid out a pencil and paper pad for each delegate”).

Laid is also the past participle, used for perfect tenses and the passive voice (e.g., “The cable had been laid carefully where no one would trip over it”).

You can use the QuillBot Grammar Checker to ensure you are using the correct past tense of lay.

Read this FAQ: Is layed a word?

Is it laid down or layed down?

“Layed down” is not correct in standard English. If a person is laying something down, the correct past tense is laid down because laid is the past tense of lay.

Luke laid the pane of glass down very carefully.
Steve had laid down the first layer of concrete yesterday.

If the person is lying themselves down, then the correct spelling is lay down (simple past) or lain down (past participle).

Nikita lay down and fell asleep immediately.
Pam had lain down ages ago but still couldn’t sleep.

You can use the QuillBot Grammar Checker to make sure you are using the correct verb and past tense form.

Read this FAQ: Is it laid down or layed down?

Is it layed off or laid off?

When someone loses their job, or is made redundant, then they are laid off. “Layed” isn’t a word in standard English.

Lay is an irregular verb, so it doesn’t add “-ed” to form the past tenses. Laid is both the simple past tense form and past participle of lay.

The QuillBot Grammar Checker will help you ensure that you are using the past tense of lay correctly.

Read this FAQ: Is it layed off or laid off?

Is it laid out or layed out?

The past tense of lay out is laid out. “Layed out” is not correct in standard English because laid is the past tense of lay.

Laid out means “spread out,” “present,” or (informally) “knock out, render unconscious.”

The QuillBot Grammar Checker lets you make sure you are using the correct past tense of “lay out.”

Read this FAQ: Is it laid out or layed out?

Is it either or ither?

The correct spelling is either. Ither is always a mistake. The confusion is caused because either can be pronounced in two ways in American English: [ee-thr] or [eye-thr]. In British English, it is pronounced [eye-thuh]. All pronunciations are spelled the same, though: e-i-t-h-e-r.

QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you avoid spelling mistakes in your writing.

Read this FAQ: Is it either or ither?

Is it troubleshooted or troubleshot?

The past tense of troubleshoot is troubleshot.

“Troubleshot” (not troubleshooted) is the standard simple past tense and past participle form of the verb “troubleshoot” (e.g., “I troubleshot the problem yesterday” or “The problem was troubleshot yesterday”).

QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker will help you use tricky verbs like “troubleshoot” correctly in your writing.

Read this FAQ: Is it troubleshooted or troubleshot?

What’s a synonym for in case?

Some synonyms for the subordinating conjunction in case are:

• In preparation for
• In the event that
• On the off chance
• In order to avoid

These phrases refer to precautions against a possible event (e.g., “Take an umbrella on the off chance it rains”).

Some synonyms may require light sentence rewrites when substituting them for “in case.”

A QuillBot Grammar Check can make sure you use “in case” and its synonyms correctly.

Read this FAQ: What’s a synonym for in case?

What’s the definition of incase?

“Incase” is not a word. It’s a misspelling of “in case,” a subordinating conjunction that means “as a precaution against the event of.”

For example, “I’m going to bring snacks in case we get hungry while studying.”

Incase and in case are sometimes confused, but remember that “in case” is always right and “incase” is always wrong.

Or, use a QuillBot Grammar Check to make sure your grammar and spelling are correct.

Read this FAQ: What’s the definition of incase?

What is the meaning of encase?

“Encase” is a verb that means “to cover or enclose,” especially in a case or a tight-fitting material.

For example:

• The whisky was encased in a bubble wrap before shipping.
• The team encased the cameras in their respective cases.

Don’t confuse “encase” with incase or in case. “Incase” is always wrong, and “in case” is a subordinating conjunction that refers to a precaution against a possible event (e.g., “take an umbrella in case it rains”).

A QuillBot Grammar Check can help resolve any doubts about when to use these words.

Read this FAQ: What is the meaning of encase?