---
title: approving — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «approving» in the school dictionary: Showing that you think something is good or right, like an approving smile or nod. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/approving/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/) / [school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/) / [A](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/) / approving

# approving

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** you, Showing, act, teacher, Dad, I · **What happens:** show, think, be, approve, agree, give · **To what, where:** something, approving nod, me, room, noises, ball · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«approving» in the school dictionary: its 2 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: [approving in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/approving.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Showing that you think something is good or right, like an approving smile or nod.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:approving:m1:1
# text = Showing that you think something is good or right, like an approving smile or nod.
1	Showing	show	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	csubj	_	_
2	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	4	mark	_	_
3	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	think	think	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	ccomp	_	_
5	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	4	obj	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	right	right	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	conj	_	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	approving	approve	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	14	amod	_	_
14	smile	smile	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	_
15	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
16	nod	nod	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **show** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **think** *speech: other* | present | you | something |  |  |  |  | vn wish-62 «NP V NP»: agent=Pivot something=Theme |
| 3 | **is** | present | Showing |  |  |  |  | good *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **be** |  | Showing *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 5 | **approve** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn marvel-31.3 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |

<!-- .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}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: verb form — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the act of officially agreeing to something.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:approving:m2:1
# text = In the act of officially agreeing to something.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	act	act	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
5	officially	officially	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	agreeing	agree	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	3	acl	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **agree** *speech: agree* | gerund | the act *not said here* |  |  |  |  | to something; officially *property* | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The teacher gave me an approving nod.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:approving:x1:1
# text = The teacher gave me an approving nod.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	gave	give	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	iobj	_	_
5	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	approving	approve	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	amod	_	_
7	nod	nod	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | past | the teacher | a approving nod | me |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent i=Recipient nod=Theme |
| 2 | **approve** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn marvel-31.3 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dad smiled in an approving way when I tidied my room.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:approving:x2:1
# text = Dad smiled in an approving way when I tidied my room.
1	Dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	smiled	smile	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	approving	approve	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	amod	_	_
6	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
7	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	9	advmod	_	_
8	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	tidied	tidy	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	_
10	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	11	nmod:poss	_	_
11	room	room	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **smile** | past | Dad |  |  |  |  | in a approving way | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent in way=Theme |
| 2 | **approve** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn marvel-31.3 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 3 | **tidy** | past | I | my room |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The crowd made approving noises.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:approving:x3:1
# text = The crowd made approving noises.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	crowd	crowd	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	approving	approve	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	3	xcomp	_	_
5	noises	noise	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past | the crowd |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **approve** | gerund | the crowd *not said here* | noises |  |  |  |  | vn allow-64.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent noise=Beneficiary |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grandma looked at my drawing with an approving eye.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:approving:x4:1
# text = Grandma looked at my drawing with an approving eye.
1	Grandma	grandma	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	looked	look	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	at	at	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	drawing	drawing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	approving	approve	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	9	amod	_	_
9	eye	eye	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** | past | Grandma |  |  |  |  | at my drawing with a approving eye | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent at drawing=Theme |
| 2 | **approve** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn marvel-31.3 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 3 | **draw** |  | my |  |  |  |  | with a approving eye | nom drawing «communication intransitive»: poss=agent with=obl |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The coach nodded approvingly as we passed the ball.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:approving:x5:1
# text = The coach nodded approvingly as we passed the ball.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	coach	coach	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	nodded	nod	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	approvingly	approvingly	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
5	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
6	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	passed	pass	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	ball	ball	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **nod** | past | the coach |  |  |  |  | approvingly *property* | vn wink-40.3.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **pass** | past | we | the ball |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1-3 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme ball=Trajectory |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The council is approving new rules this week.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:approving:x6:1
# text = The council is approving new rules this week.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	council	council	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	approving	approve	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	rules	rule	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
7	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	8	det	_	_
8	week	week	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **approve** | present · progressive | the council | new rules |  |  | week |  | vn allow-64.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent rule=Beneficiary |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Her approving words made me feel proud.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:approving:x7:1
# text = Her approving words made me feel proud.
1	Her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	approving	approve	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	3	amod	_	_
3	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	obj	_	_
6	feel	feel	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	proud	proud	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **approve** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn marvel-31.3 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **make** | past | Her approving words | me |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **feel** | infinitive | me *not said here* |  |  |  |  | proud *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |
| 4 | **word** |  | Her *= she* |  |  |  |  |  | nom word «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
“You are very clever,” said the demon chief, giving his horns an approving nod.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:approving:x8:1
# text = “You are very clever,” said the demon chief, giving his horns an approving nod.
1	“	"	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	You	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	very	very	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	clever	clever	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	”	"	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
8	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	demon	demon	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	compound	_	_
11	chief	chief	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
13	giving	give	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	8	advcl	_	_
14	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	15	nmod:poss	_	_
15	horns	horn	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	obj	_	_
16	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
17	approving	approve	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	18	amod	_	_
18	nod	nod	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** *in a quote* | present | You |  |  |  |  | clever *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | the demon chief |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **give** | gerund | the demon chief *not said here* | his horns |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent horn=Recipient nod=Theme |
| 4 | **approve** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn marvel-31.3 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |

<!-- 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 -->
- ← previous: [approved](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/approved/)
- next →: [approximate](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/approximate/)
- ↑ back to [A in school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/)