---
title: believable — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «believable» in the school dictionary: Easy to believe; seeming true or possible. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# believable

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** excuse, Her, actor, It, story, Scammers · **What happens:** believe, seem, not be, excuse, make, be · **To what, where:** character, believable story, believable ending

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«believable» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings 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: [believable in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/believable.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Easy to believe; seeming true or possible.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:believable:m1:1
# text = Easy to believe; seeming true or possible.
1	Easy	easy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
2	to	to	PART	TO	_	3	mark	_	_
3	believe	believe	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	1	punct	_	_
5	seeming	seem	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	1	ccomp	_	_
6	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	xcomp	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	possible	possible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **believe** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V that S»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **seem** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | true *property* | vn seem-109-1-1-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=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}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: of a character in a story or film — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Seeming like a real person.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:believable:m2:1
# text = Seeming like a real person.
1	Seeming	seem	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
2	like	like	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	real	real	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **seem** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | like a real person | vn seem-109-1-1-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Her excuse was not very believable.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:believable:x1:1
# text = Her excuse was not very believable.
1	Her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	excuse	excuse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	6	advmod	_	_
5	very	very	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	believable	believable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **is** | past | Her excuse |  |  |  |  | believable *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **excuse** |  | Her *= she* |  |  |  |  |  | nom excuse «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The actor made the character believable.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:believable:x2:1
# text = The actor made the character believable.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	actor	actor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	character	character	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	believable	believable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past | the actor | the character |  |  |  | believable *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset character=Product |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It's a believable story, but is it true?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:believable:x3:1
# text = It's a believable story, but is it true?
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	believable	believable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
7	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | It | a believable story |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present | story |  |  |  |  | true *property* | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Scammers make their messages look believable.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:believable:x4:1
# text = Scammers make their messages look believable.
1	Scammers	scammer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	make	make	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	messages	message	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
5	look	look	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	xcomp	_	_
6	believable	believable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | present | Scammers |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **look** | present | Scammers's messages |  |  |  |  | believable *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Write a believable ending for the story.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:believable:x5:1
# text = Write a believable ending for the story.
1	Write	write	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	believable	believable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	ending	ending	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write** | imperative | you *not said here* | a believable ending |  |  |  | for the story | vn create-26.4-1 «NP V NP PP.beneficiary»: agent=Agent ending=Result for story=Beneficiary |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
His explanation sounded believable to the teacher.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:believable:x6:1
# text = His explanation sounded believable to the teacher.
1	His	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	explanation	explanation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	sounded	sound	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	believable	believable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	xcomp	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sound** | past | His explanation |  |  |  |  | believable *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |
| 2 | **explain** |  | His *= he* |  |  |  |  |  | nom explanation «communication intransitive»: poss=agent |

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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.

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