---
title: certainly — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «certainly» in the school dictionary: Certainly means without any doubt; surely. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# certainly

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** polite way, someone, it, I, You, She · **What happens:** mean, be, say, ask, open, look · **To what, where:** polite way, window, library, long walk, three sides, it · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«certainly» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 9 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: [certainly in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/certainly.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Certainly means without any doubt; surely.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:certainly:m1:1
# text = Certainly means without any doubt; surely.
1	Certainly	certainly	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	without	without	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	5	det	_	_
5	doubt	doubt	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	2	punct	_	_
7	surely	surely	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  | without any doubt; certainly, surely *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=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.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Certainly is a polite way of saying «yes» or «of course» when someone asks for something.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:certainly:m2:1
# text = Certainly is a polite way of saying «yes» or «of course» when someone asks for something.
1	Certainly	certainly	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
2	is	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	polite	polite	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
7	saying	say	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	acl	_	_
8	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	yes	yes	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Pos	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	9	punct	_	_
11	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
12	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	of	of	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	course	course	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	9	punct	_	_
16	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	18	advmod	_	_
17	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	18	nsubj	_	_
18	asks	ask	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	advcl	_	_
19	for	for	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
20	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	18	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 |  | a polite way |  |  |  | certainly *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | gerund | a polite way *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent yes=Topic |
| 3 | **ask** *speech: ask* | present | someone |  |  |  |  | for something | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Certainly can mean «it is true that…», before a «but».

<!-- fold The tree, 10 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:certainly:m3:1
# text = Certainly can mean «it is true that…», before a «but».
1	Certainly	certainly	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	ccomp	_	_
8	that	that	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	…	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
12	before	before	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
14	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | can |  |  |  |  |  | certainly *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent but=Topic |
| 2 | **is** *in a quote* | present | it |  |  |  |  | true *property* | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«May I open the window?» «Certainly.»

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* «May I open the window?»

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:certainly:x1:1
# text = «May I open the window?»
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	May	may	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	open	open	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	window	window	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **open** *in a quote* | may | I | the window |  |  |  |  | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location window=Theme |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* «Certainly.»

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:certainly:x1:2
# text = «Certainly.»
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Certainly	certainly	ADV	RB	_	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It will certainly rain later — look at those clouds.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:certainly:x2:1
# text = It will certainly rain later — look at those clouds.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	certainly	certainly	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	rain	rain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	later	late	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	4	advmod	_	_
6	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	7	punct	_	_
7	look	look	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	4	parataxis	_	_
8	at	at	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	those	that	DET	DT	Number=Plur|PronType=Dem	10	det	_	_
10	clouds	cloud	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | at that clouds | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent at cloud=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
You certainly worked hard on this project.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:certainly:x3:1
# text = You certainly worked hard on this project.
1	You	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	certainly	certainly	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	worked	work	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	hard	hard	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	3	advmod	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	7	det	_	_
7	project	project	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **work** | past | You |  |  |  |  | on this project; certainly, hard *property* | vn employment-95.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent on project=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Can I stay up all night?» «Certainly not!»

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* «Can I stay up all night?»

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:certainly:x4:1
# text = «Can I stay up all night?»
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	stay	stay	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	up	up	ADP	RP	_	4	compound:prt	_	_
6	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	7	det	_	_
7	night	night	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stay up** *in a quote* | can | I |  |  |  | night |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* «Certainly not!»

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:certainly:x4:2
# text = «Certainly not!»
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Certainly	certainly	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She is almost certainly at the library.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:certainly:x5:1
# text = She is almost certainly at the library.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
3	almost	almost	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	certainly	certainly	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
5	at	at	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	library	library	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | She |  |  | the library |  | certainly *property* | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It was certainly a long walk, but it was fun.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:certainly:x6:1
# text = It was certainly a long walk, but it was fun.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
3	certainly	certainly	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	walk	walk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
8	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
10	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
11	fun	fun	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | It | a long walk |  |  |  | certainly *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | past | walk |  |  |  |  | fun *property* | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The team will most certainly win if they play like that.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:certainly:x7:1
# text = The team will most certainly win if they play like that.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	team	team	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
4	most	most	ADV	RBS	Degree=Sup	5	advmod	_	_
5	certainly	certainly	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	win	win	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
8	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	play	play	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	ccomp	_	_
10	like	like	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	that	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **win** | future | the team |  |  |  |  | certainly *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **play** *a condition, not said to happen* | present | they |  |  |  |  | like that | vn performance-26.7-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A triangle certainly has three sides.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:certainly:x8:1
# text = A triangle certainly has three sides.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	triangle	triangle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	certainly	certainly	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	three	three	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	6	nummod	_	_
6	sides	side	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 | a triangle | three sides |  |  |  | certainly *property* | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent side=Patient |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"Certainly; and I can do it."

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:certainly:x9:1
# text = "Certainly; and I can do it."
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Certainly	certainly	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
5	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
6	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
7	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** *in a quote* | can | I | it |  |  |  | certainly *property* | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Eventuality |

<!-- 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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