---
title: certify — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «certify» in the school dictionary: To say officially, often in writing, that something is true or correct: «The doctor certified that he was ill.». Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# certify

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** something, doctor, official paper, She, swimming coach, you · **What happens:** say, be, certify, give, show, train · **To what, where:** writing, someone, they, standard, 25 metres, certified free range · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«certify» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 7 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: [certify in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/certify.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To say officially, often in writing, that something is true or correct: «The doctor certified that he was ill.».

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:certify:m1:1
# text = To say officially, often in writing, that something is true or correct: «The doctor certified that he was ill.».
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	say	say	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	officially	officially	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
5	often	often	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	writing	writing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
9	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
10	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	12	nsubj	_	_
11	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
12	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	parataxis	_	_
13	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	correct	correct	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	19	punct	_	_
16	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	19	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	doctor	doctor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	nsubj	_	_
19	certified	certify	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	12	conj	_	_
20	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	23	mark	_	_
21	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	23	nsubj	_	_
22	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	23	cop	_	_
23	ill	ill	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	19	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	19	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	19	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | to-infinitive |  |  |  | writing |  | officially *property* | vn pronounce-29.3.1 «NP V NP PP.manner»: agent=Agent in writing=Manner |
| 2 | **is** | present | something |  |  |  |  | true *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **be** *speech: disagree* |  | something *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **certify** *in a quote* | past | the doctor |  |  |  |  |  | vn patent-101 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 5 | **is** *in a quote* | past | doctor |  |  |  |  | ill *property* | tree rules |

<!-- .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 -->
To give someone an official paper showing they have trained and passed: «She was certified as a lifeguard.».

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:certify:m2:1
# text = To give someone an official paper showing they have trained and passed: «She was certified as a lifeguard.».
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	give	give	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	official	official	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	paper	paper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
7	showing	show	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	acl	_	_
8	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj:pass	_	_
9	have	have	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
10	trained	train	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	ccomp	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	passed	pass	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	17	punct	_	_
14	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	17	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	17	nsubj	_	_
16	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	17	cop	_	_
17	certified	certified	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	parataxis	_	_
18	as	as	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
19	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
20	lifeguard	lifeguard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	17	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	17	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | to-infinitive |  | someone |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **show** | gerund | a official paper *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **train** | present · perfect · passive |  | they |  |  |  |  | vn hire-13.5.3 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |
| 4 | **pass** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 5 | **is** *in a quote* | past | She |  |  |  |  | as a lifeguard; certified *property* | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To officially say that something meets a standard: «certified organic».

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:certify:m3:1
# text = To officially say that something meets a standard: «certified organic».
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	3	mark	_	_
2	officially	officially	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	say	say	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
5	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	6	nsubj	_	_
6	meets	meet	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	ccomp	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	standard	standard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	12	punct	_	_
10	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	certified	certified	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	organic	organic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | officially *property* | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **meet** | present | something | a standard |  |  |  |  | vn meet-36.3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent standard=Co-Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The swimming coach will certify that you can swim 25 metres.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:certify:x1:1
# text = The swimming coach will certify that you can swim 25 metres.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	swimming	swimming	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	coach	coach	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	certify	certify	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
7	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
8	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
9	swim	swim	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	advcl	_	_
10	25	25	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	11	nummod	_	_
11	metres	metre	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **certify** | future | the swimming coach |  |  |  |  |  | vn patent-101 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **swim** | can | you | 25 metres |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme metre=Trajectory |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The eggs are certified free-range.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:certify:x2:1
# text = The eggs are certified free-range.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	eggs	egg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
4	certified	certified	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
5	free	free	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	range	range	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 a** | present | the eggs | certified free range |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My aunt is a certified first-aid trainer.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:certify:x3:1
# text = My aunt is a certified first-aid trainer.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	aunt	aunt	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
5	certified	certified	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
6	first	first	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	8	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	aid	aid	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	trainer	trainer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | My aunt | a certified aid trainer |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The doctor certified that I needed a week off school.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:certify:x4:1
# text = The doctor certified that I needed a week off school.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	doctor	doctor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	certified	certify	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
5	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	needed	need	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	ccomp	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	week	week	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl:unmarked	_	_
9	off	off	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **certify** | past | the doctor |  |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2 «NP V NP to be ADJ»: agent=Agent clause=Attribute |
| 2 | **need** | past | I |  |  |  | week | off school | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The judges certified the new world record.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:certify:x5:1
# text = The judges certified the new world record.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	judges	judge	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	certified	certify	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
5	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
6	world	world	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	record	record	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 | **certify** | past | the judges | the new world record |  |  |  |  | vn patent-101 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent record=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A teacher must certify that this is your own work.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:certify:x6:1
# text = A teacher must certify that this is your own work.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	certify	certify	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
6	this	this	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	10	nsubj	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
8	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
9	own	own	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	work	work	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **certify** | must | a teacher |  |  |  |  |  | vn patent-101 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is a** | present | this | your own work |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
All the doctors could certify to that and they all put their names to this and appended their seals, and then they had done all they could.

<!-- fold The tree, 27 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:certify:x7:1
# text = All the doctors could certify to that and they all put their names to this and appended their seals, and then they had done all they could.
1	All	all	DET	PDT	PronType=Tot	3	det:predet	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	doctors	doctor	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
4	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	certify	certify	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	that	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	5	obl	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
9	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
10	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	11	advmod	_	_
11	put	put	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
12	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	13	nmod:poss	_	_
13	names	name	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	obj	_	_
14	to	to	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	this	this	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	11	obl	_	_
16	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
17	appended	append	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	conj	_	_
18	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	19	nmod:poss	_	_
19	seals	seal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	17	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	25	punct	_	_
21	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	25	cc	_	_
22	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	25	advmod	_	_
23	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	25	nsubj	_	_
24	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	25	aux	_	_
25	done	do	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	5	parataxis	_	_
26	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	25	obj	_	_
27	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	28	nsubj	_	_
28	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	25	obl:agent	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **certify** | could | all doctors |  |  |  |  | to that | vn characterize-29.2 «NP V NP to be ADJ»: agent=Agent to that=be' |
| 2 | **put** | present | doctors *= doctor* | doctors's names |  |  |  | to this | vn invest-13.5.4-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent name=Goal |
| 3 | **append** | past | doctors *= doctor* *not said here* | doctors's seals |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **do** | past · perfect | doctors *= doctor* | all |  |  | then |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent all=Eventuality |
| 5 | **name** |  | doctors *= doctor* |  |  |  |  |  | nom name «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

<!-- 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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