---
title: able — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «able» in the school dictionary: If you are able to do something, you can do it; you have the skill, strength, time or chance to do it. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# able

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** you, able person, I, She, Birds, penguins · **What happens:** be, do, have, swim, come, not be · **To what, where:** something, it, skill, chance, things, whole length

<!-- .vabout -->
«able» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 9 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [able in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/able.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
If you are able to do something, you can do it; you have the skill, strength, time or chance to do it.

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:able:m1:1
# text = If you are able to do something, you can do it; you have the skill, strength, time or chance to do it.
1	If	if	SCONJ	IN	_	4	mark	_	_
2	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	able	able	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	advcl	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
9	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
10	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
11	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
12	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
14	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	15	nsubj	_	_
15	have	have	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	parataxis	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	skill	skill	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
19	strength	strength	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
21	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	conj	_	_
22	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	23	cc	_	_
23	chance	chance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	conj	_	_
24	to	to	PART	TO	_	25	mark	_	_
25	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	23	acl	_	_
26	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	25	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** *a condition, not said to happen* | present | you |  |  |  |  | able *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **do** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* | something |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Eventuality |
| 3 | **do** | can | you | it |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Eventuality |
| 4 | **have** | present | you | the skill and strength and time or chance |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent skill=Patient |
| 5 | **do** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* | chance |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Eventuality |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An able person is clever or good at things, like an able pupil.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:able:m2:1
# text = An able person is clever or good at things, like an able pupil.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	able	able	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	clever	clever	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	conj	_	_
8	at	at	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
11	like	like	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
12	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	able	able	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	pupil	pupil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | a able person |  |  |  |  | clever *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **be** |  | a able person *not said here* |  |  | things |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I am able to swim a whole length now.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:able:x1:1
# text = I am able to swim a whole length now.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	am	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	able	able	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	swim	swim	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	whole	whole	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	length	length	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
9	now	now	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | I |  |  |  |  | able *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **swim** | to-infinitive | I *not said here* | a whole length |  |  | now |  | vn run-51.3.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme length=Trajectory |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Will you be able to come to my party?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:able:x2:1
# text = Will you be able to come to my party?
1	Will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
2	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
3	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	cop	_	_
4	able	able	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	come	come	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	party	party	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | future | you |  |  |  |  | able *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **come** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  | my party |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme to party=Initial\_Location |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She wasn't able to open the jar.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:able:x3:1
# text = She wasn't able to open the jar.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	able	able	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	open	open	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	jar	jar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **is** | past | She |  |  |  |  | able *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **open** | to-infinitive | She *not said here* | the jar |  |  |  |  | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location jar=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Birds are able to fly, but penguins are not.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:able:x4:1
# text = Birds are able to fly, but penguins are not.
1	Birds	bird	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	able	able	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	fly	fly	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
7	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
8	penguins	penguin	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nsubj	_	_
9	are	be	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
10	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	9	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Birds |  |  |  |  | able *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **fly** | to-infinitive | Birds *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **not** **does** | present | penguins |  |  |  |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Owls are able to see in the dark better than us.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:able:x5:1
# text = Owls are able to see in the dark better than us.
1	Owls	owl	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	able	able	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	see	see	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	dark	dark	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
9	better	well	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	5	advmod	_	_
10	than	than	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Owls |  |  |  |  | able *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **see** | to-infinitive | Owls *not said here* |  |  | the dark |  | well *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He was able to finish the puzzle in ten minutes.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:able:x6:1
# text = He was able to finish the puzzle in ten minutes.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	able	able	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	finish	finish	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	puzzle	puzzle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	ten	ten	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	10	nummod	_	_
10	minutes	minute	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | He |  |  |  |  | able *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **finish** | to-infinitive | He *not said here* | the puzzle |  |  | minute |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V NP.eventuality»: agent=Subeventuality puzzle=Eventuality |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The more able readers chose longer books.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:able:x7:1
# text = The more able readers chose longer books.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
2	more	more	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	3	advmod	_	_
3	able	able	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	readers	reader	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
5	chose	choose	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	longer	long	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	7	amod	_	_
7	books	book	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **choose** | past | the able readers | longer books |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent book=Theme |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
After the injury he was able to walk again.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:able:x8:1
# text = After the injury he was able to walk again.
1	After	after	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	injury	injury	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
4	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
5	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
6	able	able	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	walk	walk	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	xcomp	_	_
9	again	again	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | he |  |  |  | after the injury | able *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **walk** | to-infinitive | he *not said here* |  |  |  | again |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"Should I be able to see these flowers?"

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:able:x9:1
# text = "Should I be able to see these flowers?"
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Should	should	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
3	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
4	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	cop	_	_
5	able	able	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	see	see	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	xcomp	_	_
8	these	this	DET	DT	Number=Plur|PronType=Dem	9	det	_	_
9	flowers	flower	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** *in a quote* | should | I |  |  |  |  | able *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **see** *in a quote* | to-infinitive | I *not said here* | this flowers |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer flower=Stimulus |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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