---
title: comparing — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «comparing» in the school dictionary: Comparing means looking at things to see how they are alike or different, or which is bigger. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/comparing/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/) / [school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/) / [C](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/) / comparing

# comparing

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** things, It, red one, We, she, you · **What happens:** compare, mean, look, see, be, hold · **To what, where:** ing form, two boxes, 6 more balls, heights, prices, scores · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«comparing» in the school dictionary: its 2 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: [comparing in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/comparing.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Comparing means looking at things to see how they are alike or different, or which is bigger.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:comparing:m1:1
# text = Comparing means looking at things to see how they are alike or different, or which is bigger.
1	Comparing	compare	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	looking	look	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	xcomp	_	_
4	at	at	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	see	see	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
8	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	11	advmod	_	_
9	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
10	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
11	alike	alike	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	ccomp	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	different	different	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
15	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
16	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	18	nsubj	_	_
17	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	18	cop	_	_
18	bigger	big	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	11	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **compare** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn amalgamate-22.2-2 «NP V ADVP-Middle»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **look** *not said to happen* | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | at things | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent at thing=Theme |
| 4 | **see** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 5 | **is** | present | things *= thing* |  |  |  |  | alike *property* | tree rules |
| 6 | **be** |  | things *= thing* *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 7 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | big *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 -->
It is the -ing form of compare.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:comparing:m2:1
# text = It is the -ing form of compare.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
4	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	ing	ing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	form	form	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	compare	compare	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | It | the ing form |  |  |  | of compare | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Comparing the two boxes, the red one holds 6 more balls.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:comparing:x1:1
# text = Comparing the two boxes, the red one holds 6 more balls.
1	Comparing	compare	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	9	advcl	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	4	nummod	_	_
4	boxes	box	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	red	red	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	one	one	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
9	holds	hold	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
10	6	6	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	12	nummod	_	_
11	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	12	amod	_	_
12	balls	ball	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **compare** | gerund | the red one *not said here* | the two boxes |  |  |  |  | vn amalgamate-22.2-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent box=Patient |
| 2 | **hold** | present | the red one | 6 more balls |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent ball=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We are comparing the heights of the trees.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:comparing:x2:1
# text = We are comparing the heights of the trees.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	comparing	compare	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	heights	height	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	trees	tree	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **compare** | present · progressive | We | the heights of the trees |  |  |  |  | vn amalgamate-22.2-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent height=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
By comparing prices, she saved $4.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:comparing:x3:1
# text = By comparing prices, she saved $4.
1	By	by	SCONJ	IN	_	2	mark	_	_
2	comparing	compare	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	6	advcl	_	_
3	prices	price	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
5	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	saved	save	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	$	$	SYM	$	_	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	4	4	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	7	nummod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **compare** | gerund | she *not said here* | prices |  |  |  |  | vn amalgamate-22.2-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent price=Patient |
| 2 | **save** | past | she |  |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent $=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Comparing the scores, who won?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:comparing:x4:1
# text = Comparing the scores, who won?
1	Comparing	compare	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	csubj	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	scores	score	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
5	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	6	nsubj	_	_
6	won	win	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **compare** | gerund |  | the scores |  |  |  |  | vn amalgamate-22.2-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent score=Patient |
| 2 | **win** | past |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We are comparing fractions today.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:comparing:x5:1
# text = We are comparing fractions today.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	comparing	compare	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	fractions	fraction	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	today	today	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **compare** | present · progressive | We | fractions |  |  | today |  | vn amalgamate-22.2-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent fraction=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Comparing the two stories, which did you like more?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:comparing:x6:1
# text = Comparing the two stories, which did you like more?
1	Comparing	compare	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	4	nummod	_	_
4	stories	story	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
6	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	9	obj	_	_
7	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
8	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	like	like	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	acl:relcl	_	_
10	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **compare** | gerund |  | the two stories |  |  |  |  | vn amalgamate-22.2-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent story=Patient |
| 2 | **like** | past · do-support | you | the two stories |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Stop comparing yourself to your sister.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:comparing:x7:1
# text = Stop comparing yourself to your sister.
1	Stop	stop	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	comparing	compare	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	1	xcomp	_	_
3	yourself	yourself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=2|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	2	obj	_	_
4	to	to	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	sister	sister	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stop** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Affector clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **compare** | gerund | you *not said here* | yourself |  |  |  | to your sister | vn amalgamate-22.2-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent yourself=Patient |

<!-- 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 -->
- ← previous: [compare](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/compare/)
- next →: [comparison](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/comparison/)
- ↑ back to [C in school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/)