---
title: clunky — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «clunky» in the school dictionary: Big, heavy and awkward, not smooth or neat to use, like clunky old shoes or a clunky machine. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# clunky

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** old phone, She, sentence, website, robot, clunky old lift · **What happens:** use, not put together, be, wear, try, make · **To what, where:** clunky old shoes, clunky boots, sentence, clunky way, shaft

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Big, heavy and awkward, not smooth or neat to use, like clunky old shoes or a clunky machine.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:clunky:m1:1
# text = Big, heavy and awkward, not smooth or neat to use, like clunky old shoes or a clunky machine.
1	Big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
3	heavy	heavy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	conj	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	awkward	awkward	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
7	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	8	advmod	_	_
8	smooth	smooth	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	conj	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	neat	neat	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	conj	_	_
11	to	to	PART	TO	_	12	mark	_	_
12	use	use	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
14	like	like	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
15	clunky	clunky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	amod	_	_
16	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	amod	_	_
17	shoes	shoe	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	obj	_	_
18	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	21	cc	_	_
19	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
20	clunky	clunky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	21	amod	_	_
21	machine	machine	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | to-infinitive |  | clunky old shoes or a clunky machine |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent shoe=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.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: of writing, computer programs — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Awkward and not well put together.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:clunky:m2:1
# text = Awkward and not well put together.
1	Awkward	awkward	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
2	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
3	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	5	advmod	_	_
4	well	well	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	5	advmod	_	_
5	put	put	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	1	conj	_	_
6	together	together	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **put together** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | together, well *property* | vn invest-13.5.4-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grandad's old phone is clunky and heavy.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:clunky:x1:1
# text = Grandad's old phone is clunky and heavy.
1	Grandad	Grandad	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	's	PART	POS	_	1	case	_	_
3	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	phone	phone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
6	clunky	clunky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	heavy	heavy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Grandad's old phone |  |  |  |  | clunky *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **be** |  | Grandad's old phone *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She wore clunky boots to the party.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:clunky:x2:1
# text = She wore clunky boots to the party.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	wore	wear	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	clunky	clunky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	boots	boot	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	party	party	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wear** | past | She | clunky boots |  |  |  | to the party | vn wipe\_manner-10.4.1-1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent boot=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
This sentence is clunky; try making it shorter.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:clunky:x3:1
# text = This sentence is clunky; try making it shorter.
1	This	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	2	det	_	_
2	sentence	sentence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	clunky	clunky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	6	punct	_	_
6	try	try	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	4	parataxis	_	_
7	making	make	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	xcomp	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
9	shorter	short	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	7	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | this sentence |  |  |  |  | clunky *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **try** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn try-61.1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 3 | **make** *not said to happen* | gerund |  | sentence |  |  |  | short *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset it=Product |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The website is clunky and hard to use.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:clunky:x4:1
# text = The website is clunky and hard to use.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	website	website	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	clunky	clunky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	use	use	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | the website |  |  |  |  | clunky *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **be** |  | the website *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **use** | to-infinitive | the website *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The robot moved in a clunky way.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:clunky:x5:1
# text = The robot moved in a clunky way.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	robot	robot	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	moved	move	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	clunky	clunky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	way	way	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 | **move** | past | the robot |  |  | a clunky way |  |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V PP.trajectory»: agent=Theme in way=Trajectory |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The clunky old lift rattled up the shaft.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:clunky:x6:1
# text = The clunky old lift rattled up the shaft.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
2	clunky	clunky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
3	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	lift	lift	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	rattled	rattle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	acl	_	_
6	up	up	ADP	RP	_	5	compound:prt	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	shaft	shaft	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **rattle up** | participle | the clunky old lift *not said here* | the shaft |  |  |  |  | vn animal\_sounds-38 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent shaft=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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