---
title: clef — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «clef» in the school dictionary: A sign at the start of a line of written music that shows how high or low the notes are: the treble clef for higher notes and the bass clef for lower ones. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# clef

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** written music, you, Piano music, treble clef, notes · **What happens:** write, show, be, start, draw, use · **To what, where:** line, treble clef, start, stave, bass clef, top

<!-- .vabout -->
«clef» in the school dictionary: its meaning for a pupil and its 5 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: [clef in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/clef.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A sign at the start of a line of written music that shows how high or low the notes are: the treble clef for higher notes and the bass clef for lower ones.

<!-- fold The tree, 33 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:clef:m1:1
# text = A sign at the start of a line of written music that shows how high or low the notes are: the treble clef for higher notes and the bass clef for lower ones.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	sign	sign	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	at	at	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	start	start	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	line	line	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	written	write	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	11	amod	_	_
11	music	music	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	_
12	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	13	nsubj	_	_
13	shows	show	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	acl:relcl	_	_
14	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	15	advmod	_	_
15	high	high	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	xcomp	_	_
16	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
17	low	low	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	conj	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	notes	note	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	15	nsubj	_	_
20	are	be	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	15	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	24	punct	_	_
22	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	24	det	_	_
23	treble	treble	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	24	compound	_	_
24	clef	clef	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
25	for	for	ADP	IN	_	27	case	_	_
26	higher	high	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	27	amod	_	_
27	notes	note	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	24	nmod	_	_
28	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	31	cc	_	_
29	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	31	det	_	_
30	bass	bass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	31	compound	_	_
31	clef	clef	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	27	conj	_	_
32	for	for	ADP	IN	_	34	case	_	_
33	lower	low	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	34	amod	_	_
34	ones	one	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	31	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
35	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **show** | present | written music |  |  |  |  | high *property* | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **be** | present | written music *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **start** |  |  | a line of written music |  |  |  |  | nom start «event transitive»: of=patient |

<!-- .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.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Draw a treble clef at the start of the stave.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:clef:x1:1
# text = Draw a treble clef at the start of the stave.
1	Draw	draw	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	treble	treble	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	clef	clef	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
5	at	at	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	start	start	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	stave	stave	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **draw** | imperative | you *not said here* | a treble clef |  | the start of the stave |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent clef=Theme |
| 2 | **start** |  |  | the stave |  |  |  |  | nom start «event transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The bass clef is used for the cello and the tuba.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:clef:x2:1
# text = The bass clef is used for the cello and the tuba.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	bass	bass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	clef	clef	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	cello	cello	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	tuba	tuba	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | present · passive |  | the bass clef |  |  |  | for the cello and the tuba | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP PP.predicate»: subject=Theme for cello=Eventuality |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Piano music has a treble clef on top and a bass clef underneath.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:clef:x3:1
# text = Piano music has a treble clef on top and a bass clef underneath.
1	Piano	piano	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	music	music	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	treble	treble	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	clef	clef	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	top	top	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	bass	bass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	compound	_	_
12	clef	clef	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	_
13	underneath	underneath	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | Piano music | a treble clef and a bass clef |  | top |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent clef=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The treble clef curls round the line for G.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:clef:x4:1
# text = The treble clef curls round the line for G.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	treble	treble	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	clef	clef	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	curls	curl	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	round	round	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	line	line	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
8	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	G.	G.	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **curl** | present | the treble clef |  |  | the line |  | for G. | vn coil-9.6-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme round line=Destination |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the bass clef, the notes have different names on the same lines.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:clef:x5:1
# text = In the bass clef, the notes have different names on the same lines.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	bass	bass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	clef	clef	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	notes	note	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
8	have	have	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	different	different	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	names	name	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obj	_	_
11	on	on	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	same	same	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	lines	line	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | the notes | different names |  | the bass clef |  | on the same lines | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent name=Patient |

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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.

<!-- /div -->

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