underlie
underlies
underlying
underlay
Underlie means to be the foundation or cause of, or to lie beneath. Irregular: underlie-underlay-underlain.
Meanings
- To be the foundation of
- To be the cause of
- To lie beneath
- To be fundamental to
Common Collocations
underlying cause
underlying problem
underlying issue
underlying assumption
underlying principle
Tip for Learners
Underlying (adjective) = fundamental, basic. "The underlying cause of the problem." Don't confuse with underlay (put something under). Follows pattern of "lie" (recline).
Present Simple
| I | underlie |
| you | underlie |
| he/she/it | underlies |
| we | underlie |
| they | underlie |
Examples - Present Simple
- Facts underlie my argument.
- You underlie the problem.
- Evidence underlies her case.
- Principles underlie our values.
- Assumptions underlie the theory.
Present Continuous
| I | am underlying |
| you | are underlying |
| he/she/it | is underlying |
| we | are underlying |
| they | are underlying |
Examples - Present Continuous
- Facts are underlying my argument.
- You are underlying the problem.
- Evidence is underlying her case.
- Principles are underlying our values.
- Assumptions are underlying the theory.
Present Perfect
| I | have underlain |
| you | have underlain |
| he/she/it | has underlain |
| we | have underlain |
| they | have underlain |
Examples - Present Perfect
- Facts have underlain my argument.
- You have underlain the problem.
- Evidence has underlain her case.
- Principles have underlain our values.
- Assumptions have underlain the theory.
Present Perfect Continuous
| I | have been underlying |
| you | have been underlying |
| he/she/it | has been underlying |
| we | have been underlying |
| they | have been underlying |
Examples - Present Perfect Continuous
- Facts have been underlying my argument.
- You have been underlying the problem.
- Evidence has been underlying her case.
- Principles have been underlying our values.
- Assumptions have been underlying the theory.
Past Simple
| I | underlay |
| you | underlay |
| he/she/it | underlay |
| we | underlay |
| they | underlay |
Examples - Past Simple
- Facts underlay my argument.
- You underlay the problem.
- Evidence underlay her case.
- Principles underlay our values.
- Assumptions underlay the theory.
Past Continuous
| I | was underlying |
| you | were underlying |
| he/she/it | was underlying |
| we | were underlying |
| they | were underlying |
Examples - Past Continuous
- Facts were underlying my argument.
- You were underlying the problem.
- Evidence was underlying her case.
- Principles were underlying our values.
- Assumptions were underlying the theory.
Past Perfect
| I | had underlain |
| you | had underlain |
| he/she/it | had underlain |
| we | had underlain |
| they | had underlain |
Examples - Past Perfect
- Facts had underlain my argument.
- You had underlain the problem.
- Evidence had underlain her case.
- Principles had underlain our values.
- Assumptions had underlain the theory.
Past Perfect Continuous
| I | had been underlying |
| you | had been underlying |
| he/she/it | had been underlying |
| we | had been underlying |
| they | had been underlying |
Examples - Past Perfect Continuous
- Facts had been underlying my argument.
- You had been underlying the problem.
- Evidence had been underlying the case.
- Principles had been underlying values.
- Assumptions had been underlying theories.
Future Simple
| I | will underlie |
| you | will underlie |
| he/she/it | will underlie |
| we | will underlie |
| they | will underlie |
Examples - Future Simple
- Facts will underlie my argument.
- You will underlie the problem.
- Evidence will underlie her case.
- Principles will underlie our values.
- Assumptions will underlie the theory.
Future Continuous
| I | will be underlying |
| you | will be underlying |
| he/she/it | will be underlying |
| we | will be underlying |
| they | will be underlying |
Examples - Future Continuous
- Facts will be underlying my argument.
- You will be underlying the problem.
- Evidence will be underlying the case.
- Principles will be underlying values.
- Assumptions will be underlying theories.
Future Perfect
| I | will have underlain |
| you | will have underlain |
| he/she/it | will have underlain |
| we | will have underlain |
| they | will have underlain |
Examples - Future Perfect
- Facts will have underlain my argument.
- You will have underlain the problem.
- Evidence will have underlain her case.
- Principles will have underlain our values.
- Assumptions will have underlain the theory.
Future Perfect Continuous
| I | will have been underlying |
| you | will have been underlying |
| he/she/it | will have been underlying |
| we | will have been underlying |
| they | will have been underlying |
Examples - Future Perfect Continuous
- Facts will have been underlying my argument.
- You will have been underlying the problem.
- Evidence will have been underlying the case.
- Principles will have been underlying values.
- Assumptions will have been underlying theories.