---
title: bacteria — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «bacteria» in the school dictionary: Bacteria are tiny living things, each made of just one cell, too small to see without a microscope. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# bacteria

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Bacteria, tiny living things, many, you, microscope, us · **What happens:** be, make, see, need, wash, get · **To what, where:** tiny living things, each, harmful illness, gut, yoghurt, microscope

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Bacteria are tiny living things, each made of just one cell, too small to see without a microscope.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:bacteria:m1:1
# text = Bacteria are tiny living things, each made of just one cell, too small to see without a microscope.
1	Bacteria	bacterium	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	tiny	tiny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
4	living	living	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
7	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	8	nsubj:pass	_	_
8	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	acl	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	just	just	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
11	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	12	nummod	_	_
12	cell	cell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
14	too	too	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
15	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
16	to	to	PART	TO	_	17	mark	_	_
17	see	see	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	15	advcl	_	_
18	without	without	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
19	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
20	microscope	microscope	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Bacteria | tiny living things |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **make** | participle · passive | tiny living things *not said here* | each |  |  |  | of one cell | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: subject=Product |
| 3 | **see** | to-infinitive | tiny living things *not said here* |  |  |  |  | without a microscope | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «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}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Some bacteria are harmful and cause illness (germs), but many are helpful, for example in your gut, in soil and in making yoghurt and cheese.

<!-- fold The tree, 25 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:bacteria:m2:1
# text = Some bacteria are harmful and cause illness (germs), but many are helpful, for example in your gut, in soil and in making yoghurt and cheese.
1	Some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	2	det	_	_
2	bacteria	bacterium	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
4	harmful	harmful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	cause	cause	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	_
7	illness	illness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	germs	germ	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
12	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
13	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	nsubj	_	_
14	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	15	cop	_	_
15	helpful	helpful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
17	for	for	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
18	example	example	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obl	_	_
19	in	in	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
20	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	21	nmod:poss	_	_
21	gut	gut	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	24	punct	_	_
23	in	in	ADP	IN	_	24	case	_	_
24	soil	soil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	_
25	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	27	cc	_	_
26	in	in	SCONJ	IN	_	27	mark	_	_
27	making	make	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	24	conj	_	_
28	yoghurt	yoghurt	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	27	obj	_	_
29	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	30	cc	_	_
30	cheese	cheese	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	28	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
31	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | some bacteria | harmful illness and soil |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present | many |  |  | your gut |  | for example; helpful *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **make** | gerund | some bacteria *not said here* | yoghurt and cheese |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset yoghurt=Product |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Bacteria are so small that you need a microscope to see them.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:bacteria:x1:1
# text = Bacteria are so small that you need a microscope to see them.
1	Bacteria	bacterium	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	so	so	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
6	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	need	need	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	advcl	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	microscope	microscope	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	see	see	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	xcomp	_	_
12	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Bacteria |  |  |  |  | small *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **need** | present | you | a microscope |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **see** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | a microscope *not said here* | Bacteria *= bacterium* |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer they=Stimulus |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Wash your hands with soap to get rid of harmful bacteria.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:bacteria:x2:1
# text = Wash your hands with soap to get rid of harmful bacteria.
1	Wash	wash	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
3	hands	hand	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obj	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	soap	soap	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	get	get	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	advcl	_	_
8	rid	rid	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	xcomp	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	harmful	harmful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	bacteria	bacterium	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wash** | imperative | you *not said here* | your hands |  |  |  | with soap | vn floss-41.2.1 «NP V NP PP.instrument»: agent=Agent hand=Patient with soap=Instrument |
| 2 | **get** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | rid *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Some bacteria help us digest our food.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:bacteria:x3:1
# text = Some bacteria help us digest our food.
1	Some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	2	det	_	_
2	bacteria	bacterium	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	help	help	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	obj	_	_
5	digest	digest	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **help** | present | some bacteria | us |  |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent we=Beneficiary clause=Theme |
| 2 | **digest** | infinitive | us *not said here* | our food |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Keep milk in the fridge so bacteria grow more slowly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:bacteria:x4:1
# text = Keep milk in the fridge so bacteria grow more slowly.
1	Keep	keep	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	milk	milk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	fridge	fridge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
6	so	so	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
7	bacteria	bacterium	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
8	grow	grow	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	advcl	_	_
9	more	more	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	10	advmod	_	_
10	slowly	slowly	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **keep** | imperative | you *not said here* | milk |  | the fridge |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent milk=Theme in fridge=Location |
| 2 | **grow** | present | bacteria |  |  |  |  | slowly *property* | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Yoghurt is made with the help of bacteria.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:bacteria:x5:1
# text = Yoghurt is made with the help of bacteria.
1	Yoghurt	yoghurt	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	help	help	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	bacteria	bacterium	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | present · passive |  | Yoghurt |  |  |  | with the help of bacteria | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: subject=Product |
| 2 | **help** |  |  | bacteria |  |  |  |  | nom help «act transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Brushing your teeth removes bacteria that cause holes.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:bacteria:x6:1
# text = Brushing your teeth removes bacteria that cause holes.
1	Brushing	brush	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	csubj	_	_
2	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
3	teeth	tooth	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obj	_	_
4	removes	remove	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	bacteria	bacterium	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
6	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	cause	cause	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	holes	hole	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **brush** | gerund |  | your teeth |  |  |  |  | vn spray-9.7-1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent tooth=Theme |
| 2 | **remove** | present | Brushing | bacteria |  |  |  |  | vn fire-10.10 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent bacterium=Theme |
| 3 | **cause** | present | bacteria | holes |  |  |  |  | vn engender-27.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Precondition hole=Patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Bacteria can live in very hot springs and in ice.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:bacteria:x7:1
# text = Bacteria can live in very hot springs and in ice.
1	Bacteria	bacterium	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	live	live	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	very	very	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	hot	hot	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	springs	spring	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	ice	ice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **live** | can | Bacteria |  |  |  | spring |  | vn exist-47.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Cook chicken all the way through to kill the bacteria.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:bacteria:x8:1
# text = Cook chicken all the way through to kill the bacteria.
1	Cook	cook	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	chicken	chicken	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	all	all	DET	PDT	PronType=Tot	5	det:predet	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	through	through	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	kill	kill	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	acl	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	bacteria	bacteria	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **kill** | to-infinitive |  | the bacteria |  |  |  |  | vn remove-10.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent bacteria=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 -->

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