---
title: classify — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «classify» in the school dictionary: To classify things is to sort them into groups or categories by what they have in common. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# classify

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** things, group, Classified information, We, Scientists, spy · **What happens:** classify, be, have, belong, find · **To what, where:** things, groups, common, something, shapes, whale · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«classify» in the school dictionary: its 3 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: [classify in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/classify.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To classify things is to sort them into groups or categories by what they have in common.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:classify:m1:1
# text = To classify things is to sort them into groups or categories by what they have in common.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	classify	classify	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
3	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	sort	sort	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	into	into	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	groups	group	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	categories	category	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	conj	_	_
12	by	by	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	6	obl	_	_
14	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	nsubj	_	_
15	have	have	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	acl:relcl	_	_
16	in	in	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
17	common	common	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **classify** | to-infinitive |  | things |  |  |  |  | vn classify-29.10 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent thing=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  | groups or categories |  | sort *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **have** | present | things *= thing* |  |  | common |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: 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 -->
To classify something is to decide which group it belongs to.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:classify:m2:1
# text = To classify something is to decide which group it belongs to.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	classify	classify	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
3	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	decide	decide	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	which	which	DET	WDT	PronType=Int	8	det	_	_
8	group	group	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	belongs	belong	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	ccomp	_	_
11	to	to	ADP	IN	_	10	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **classify** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn classify-29.10 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | decide *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **belong** | present | which group |  |  |  |  |  | vn attend-107.4-2 «NP V PP»: agent=Theme |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Classified information is secret and only for certain people.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:classify:m3:1
# text = Classified information is secret and only for certain people.
1	Classified	classified	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	information	information	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	secret	secret	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
6	only	only	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
7	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	certain	certain	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Classify these animals as vertebrates or invertebrates.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:classify:x1:1
# text = Classify these animals as vertebrates or invertebrates.
1	Classify	Classify	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
2	these	this	DET	DT	Number=Plur|PronType=Dem	3	det	_	_
3	animals	animal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	appos	_	_
4	as	as	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	vertebrates	vertebrate	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nmod	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	invertebrates	invertebrate	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We classified the shapes by number of sides.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:classify:x2:1
# text = We classified the shapes by number of sides.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	classified	classify	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	shapes	shape	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	by	by	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	number	number	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	sides	side	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **classify** | past | We | the shapes |  |  |  | by number of sides | vn classify-29.10 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent shape=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A whale is classified as a mammal.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:classify:x3:1
# text = A whale is classified as a mammal.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	whale	whale	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	classified	classify	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	as	as	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	mammal	mammal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **classify** | present · passive |  | a whale |  |  |  | as a mammal | vn characterize-29.2 «NP V NP S\_ING»: subject=Theme as mammal=Attribute |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Scientists classify plants by their seeds.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:classify:x4:1
# text = Scientists classify plants by their seeds.
1	Scientists	scientist	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	classify	classify	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	plants	plant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
4	by	by	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	seeds	seed	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **classify** | present | Scientists | plants |  |  |  | by Scientists's seeds | vn classify-29.10 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent plant=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The spy found classified files.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:classify:x5:1
# text = The spy found classified files.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	spy	spy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	found	find	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	classified	classified	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	files	file	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **find** | past | the spy | classified files |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent file=Topic |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Can you classify these triangles?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:classify:x6:1
# text = Can you classify these triangles?
1	Can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
2	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	classify	classify	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	these	this	DET	DT	Number=Plur|PronType=Dem	5	det	_	_
5	triangles	triangle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **classify** | can | you | this triangles |  |  |  |  | vn classify-29.10 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent triangle=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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