---
title: alternation — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «alternation» in the school dictionary: The pattern of one thing following another again and again, like day and night or red then blue. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# alternation

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** one thing, Earth, day, pattern, red beads, alternation · **What happens:** follow, pattern, cause, spin, alternate, show · **To what, where:** another, alternation, rainbow

<!-- .vabout -->
«alternation» in the school dictionary: its meaning for a pupil and its 6 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: [alternation in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/alternation.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The pattern of one thing following another again and again, like day and night or red then blue.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:alternation:m1:1
# text = The pattern of one thing following another again and again, like day and night or red then blue.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	pattern	pattern	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	thing	thing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	following	follow	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	acl	_	_
7	another	another	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	6	obj	_	_
8	again	again	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	again	again	ADV	RB	_	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
12	like	like	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
14	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
15	night	night	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
16	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
17	red	red	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	nmod	_	_
18	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	19	advmod	_	_
19	blue	blue	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **follow** | gerund | one thing *not said here* | another |  |  | again |  | vn chase-51.6 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent another=Theme |
| 2 | **pattern** |  | one thing |  |  |  |  |  | nom pattern «cognition intransitive»: of=agent |

<!-- .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.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The alternation of day and night is caused by Earth spinning.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:alternation:x1:1
# text = The alternation of day and night is caused by Earth spinning.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	alternation	alternation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	night	night	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux:pass	_	_
8	caused	cause	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
9	by	by	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	Earth	Earth	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
11	spinning	spin	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	8	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cause** | present · passive | Earth | the alternation of day and night |  |  |  |  | vn engender-27.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Precondition subject=Patient |
| 2 | **spin** | gerund | Earth *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP.theme V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **alternate** |  | day and night |  |  |  |  |  | nom alternation «act intransitive»: of=agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The pattern shows an alternation of red and blue beads.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:alternation:x2:1
# text = The pattern shows an alternation of red and blue beads.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	pattern	pattern	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	shows	show	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	alternation	alternation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
7	red	red	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	blue	blue	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	conj	_	_
10	beads	bead	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **show** | present | the pattern | a alternation of red beads |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent alternation=Recipient |
| 2 | **alternate** |  | red beads |  |  |  |  |  | nom alternation «act intransitive»: of=agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
There is an alternation of high and low tides.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:alternation:x3:1
# text = There is an alternation of high and low tides.
1	There	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	2	expl	_	_
2	is	be	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	alternation	alternation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
6	high	high	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	low	low	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	conj	_	_
9	tides	tide	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **be** | present | a alternation of high tides |  |  | there |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **alternate** |  | high tides |  |  |  |  |  | nom alternation «act intransitive»: of=agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The song has an alternation of loud and soft parts.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:alternation:x4:1
# text = The song has an alternation of loud and soft parts.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	song	song	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	alternation	alternation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
7	loud	loud	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	soft	soft	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	conj	_	_
10	parts	part	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | the song | a alternation of loud parts |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent alternation=Patient |
| 2 | **alternate** |  | loud parts |  |  |  |  |  | nom alternation «act intransitive»: of=agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The alternation between sun and rain made a rainbow.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:alternation:x5:1
# text = The alternation between sun and rain made a rainbow.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	alternation	alternation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	between	between	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	sun	sun	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	rain	rain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	_
7	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	rainbow	rainbow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past | the alternation between sun and rain | a rainbow |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset rainbow=Product |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Look for the alternation in the number pattern 3, 7, 3, 7.

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:alternation:x6:1
# text = Look for the alternation in the number pattern 3, 7, 3, 7.
1	Look	look	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	for	for	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	alternation	alternation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	number	number	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	pattern	pattern	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
9	3	3	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	8	flat	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
11	7	7	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	8	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
13	3	3	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	11	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
15	7	7	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	11	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | for the alternation in the number pattern | vn rummage-35.5 «NP V PP.location PP.theme»: agent=Agent for alternation=Theme |

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**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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