---
title: actor — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «actor» in the school dictionary: An actor is a person who plays a part in a play, a show or a film. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# actor

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** actor, person, play, 5 actors, actors, She · **What happens:** be, play, take, have, need, leave · **To what, where:** person, part, play, something, 12 actors, 3 costumes

<!-- .vabout -->
«actor» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 11 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: [actor in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/actor.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An actor is a person who plays a part in a play, a show or a film.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:actor:m1:1
# text = An actor is a person who plays a part in a play, a show or a film.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	actor	actor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	plays	play	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	part	part	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	play	play	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	show	show	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	parataxis	_	_
16	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
17	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	film	film	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a actor | a person |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **play** | present | a person | a part |  | a play |  |  | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent part=Theme |

<!-- .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 actor can be any person or group that takes part in something.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:actor:m2:1
# text = An actor can be any person or group that takes part in something.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	actor	actor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
4	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	cop	_	_
5	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	6	det	_	_
6	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	group	group	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	_
9	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	10	nsubj	_	_
10	takes	take	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	acl:relcl	_	_
11	part	part	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	_
12	in	in	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | can | a actor | any person or group |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **take** | present | any person or group | part |  | something |  |  | vn fit-54.3 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent part=Value in something=Location |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The play has 12 actors.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:actor:x1:1
# text = The play has 12 actors.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	play	play	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	12	12	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	actors	actor	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | the play | 12 actors |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent actor=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Each actor needs 3 costumes.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:actor:x2:1
# text = Each actor needs 3 costumes.
1	Each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	2	det	_	_
2	actor	actor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	needs	need	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	3	3	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	costumes	costume	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **need** | present | each actor | 3 costumes |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Pivot costume=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
5 actors left the show.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:actor:x3:1
# text = 5 actors left the show.
1	5	5	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	2	nummod	_	_
2	actors	actor	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	left	leave	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	show	show	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **leave** | past | 5 actors | the show |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent show=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The actors sold 240 tickets.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:actor:x4:1
# text = The actors sold 240 tickets.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	actors	actor	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	sold	sell	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	240	240	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	tickets	ticket	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sell** | past | the actors | 240 tickets |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent ticket=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The actor learned all his lines.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:actor:x5:1
# text = The actor learned all his lines.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	actor	actor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	learned	learn	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	all	all	DET	PDT	PronType=Tot	6	det:predet	_	_
5	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	lines	line	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **learn** | past | the actor | actor's lines |  |  |  |  | vn learn-14-2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent line=Topic |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She wants to be an actor when she grows up.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:actor:x6:1
# text = She wants to be an actor when she grows up.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	wants	want	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
4	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	cop	_	_
5	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	actor	actor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	xcomp	_	_
7	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	9	advmod	_	_
8	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	grows	grow	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
10	up	up	ADP	RP	_	9	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **want** | present | She |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot |
| 2 | **is a** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | She *not said here* | a actor |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **grow up** | present | she |  |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The voice actor plays a talking cat.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:actor:x7:1
# text = The voice actor plays a talking cat.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	voice	voice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	actor	actor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	plays	play	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	talking	talking	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	cat	cat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **play** | present | the voice actor | a talking cat |  |  |  |  | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent cat=Theme |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
All the actors bowed at the end.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:actor:x8:1
# text = All the actors bowed at the end.
1	All	all	DET	PDT	PronType=Tot	3	det:predet	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	actors	actor	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	bowed	bow	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	at	at	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	end	end	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **bow** | past | all actors |  |  |  | at the end |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent at end=Location |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A good actor can make you cry.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:actor:x9:1
# text = A good actor can make you cry.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	actor	actor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	5	obj	_	_
7	cry	cry	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | can | a good actor | you |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **cry** *speech: express* | infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 10 {#x10}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The actors wore masks on stage.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:actor:x10:1
# text = The actors wore masks on stage.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	actors	actor	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	wore	wear	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	masks	mask	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	stage	stage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wear** | past | the actors | masks |  | stage |  |  | vn wipe\_manner-10.4.1-1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent mask=Theme |

## Example 11 {#x11}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"One can always get actors if one makes use of what one has," observed grandpapa.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:actor:x11:1
# text = "One can always get actors if one makes use of what one has," observed grandpapa.
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	One	one	PRON	PRP	Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
4	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	5	advmod	_	_
5	get	get	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	actors	actor	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	_
7	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
8	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	9	nsubj	_	_
9	makes	make	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	advcl	_	_
10	use	use	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
11	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	10	nmod	_	_
13	one	one	PRON	PRP	Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
14	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	17	punct	_	_
17	observed	observe	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	18	amod	_	_
18	grandpapa	grandpapa	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** *in a quote* | can | One | actors |  |  |  | always *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer actor=Stimulus |
| 2 | **make** *a condition, not said to happen, in a quote* | present | one | use |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset use=Product |
| 3 | **have** *in a quote* | present | one | observed grandpapa |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent grandpapa=Patient |
| 4 | **observe** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |

<!-- 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 -->

<!-- pn -->
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