---
title: alphabet — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «alphabet» in the school dictionary: The alphabet is the set of letters used to write a language, put in a fixed order. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# alphabet

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** alphabet, English alphabet, you, Greek alphabet, Little children, Z · **What happens:** be, use, write, put, fix, call · **To what, where:** set, letters, language, fixed order, such set, basics · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«alphabet» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 8 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: [alphabet in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/alphabet.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The alphabet is the set of letters used to write a language, put in a fixed order.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:alphabet:m1:1
# text = The alphabet is the set of letters used to write a language, put in a fixed order.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	alphabet	alphabet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	set	set	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	letters	letter	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	_
8	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	acl	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	write	write	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	advcl	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	language	language	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
14	put	put	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	12	acl	_	_
15	in	in	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
17	fixed	fix	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	18	amod	_	_
18	order	order	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the alphabet | the set |  |  |  | of letters | tree rules |
| 2 | **use** | participle |  | letters *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **write** | to-infinitive |  | a language |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent language=Theme |
| 4 | **put** | participle |  | a language *not said here* |  | a fixed order |  |  | vn put-9.1-2 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent in order=Destination |
| 5 | **fix** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn shake-22.3-2 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Patient |

<!-- .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 alphabet is any such set of letters, like the Greek alphabet.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:alphabet:m2:1
# text = An alphabet is any such set of letters, like the Greek alphabet.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	alphabet	alphabet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	6	det	_	_
5	such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	set	set	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	letters	letter	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
10	like	like	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	Greek	Greek	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	alphabet	alphabet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a alphabet | any such set and the Greek alphabet |  |  |  | of letters | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The basics of something are sometimes called its alphabet.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:alphabet:m3:1
# text = The basics of something are sometimes called its alphabet.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	basics	basic	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	nmod	_	_
5	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux:pass	_	_
6	sometimes	sometimes	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	7	advmod	_	_
7	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
8	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	alphabet	alphabet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** | present · passive |  | the basics of something |  |  |  | sometimes *property* | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: subject=Recipient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The English alphabet has 26 letters.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:alphabet:x1:1
# text = The English alphabet has 26 letters.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	English	English	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	alphabet	alphabet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	26	26	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	6	nummod	_	_
6	letters	letter	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | the English alphabet | 26 letters |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent letter=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Can you say the alphabet backwards?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:alphabet:x2:1
# text = Can you say the alphabet backwards?
1	Can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
2	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	say	say	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	alphabet	alphabet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	backwards	backwards	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | can | you | the alphabet |  |  |  | backwards *property* | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent alphabet=Topic |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Put these words in alphabetical order.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:alphabet:x3:1
# text = Put these words in alphabetical order.
1	Put	put	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	these	this	DET	DT	Number=Plur|PronType=Dem	3	det	_	_
3	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obj	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	alphabetical	alphabetical	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	order	order	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **put** | imperative | you *not said here* | this words |  | alphabetical order |  |  | vn put-9.1-2 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent word=Theme in order=Destination |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Greek alphabet starts with alpha and beta.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:alphabet:x4:1
# text = The Greek alphabet starts with alpha and beta.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	Greek	Greek	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	alphabet	alphabet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	starts	start	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	alpha	alpha	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	beta	beta	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **start** | present | the Greek alphabet |  |  |  |  | with alpha and beta | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V PP.subeventuality»: agent=Eventuality with alpha=Subeventuality |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Little children sing the alphabet song.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:alphabet:x5:1
# text = Little children sing the alphabet song.
1	Little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	children	child	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	sing	sing	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	alphabet	alphabet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	song	song	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sing** *speech: express* | present | Little children | the alphabet song |  |  |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location song=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Z is the last letter of the alphabet.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:alphabet:x6:1
# text = Z is the last letter of the alphabet.
1	Z	z	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	last	last	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	letter	letter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	alphabet	alphabet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Z | the last letter |  |  |  | of the alphabet | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Chinese is not written with an alphabet.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:alphabet:x7:1
# text = Chinese is not written with an alphabet.
1	Chinese	chinese	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
3	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	written	write	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	alphabet	alphabet	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 | **not** **write** | present · passive |  | Chinese |  |  |  | with a alphabet | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The eighth letter from the end of the alphabet is S, and therefore the snail received the second prize.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:alphabet:x8:1
# text = The eighth letter from the end of the alphabet is S, and therefore the snail received the second prize.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	eighth	eighth	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	letter	letter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
4	from	from	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	end	end	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	alphabet	alphabet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
10	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
11	S	S	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
13	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
14	therefore	therefore	ADV	RB	_	17	advmod	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	snail	snail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	nsubj	_	_
17	received	receive	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	acl:relcl	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
19	second	second	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	20	amod	_	_
20	prize	prize	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the eighth letter from the end of the alphabet | S |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **receive** | past | the snail | the second prize |  |  |  | therefore *property* | vn obtain-13.5.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent prize=Theme |

<!-- 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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