---
title: complainant — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «complainant» in the school dictionary: A complainant is a person who makes an official complaint or brings a case to a court, saying they have been wronged. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# complainant

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** complainant, person, judge, company · **What happens:** be, make, bring, say, wrong, tell · **To what, where:** person, official complaint, case, court, they, formal complaint · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: law — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A complainant is a person who makes an official complaint or brings a case to a court, saying they have been wronged.

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:complainant:m1:1
# text = A complainant is a person who makes an official complaint or brings a case to a court, saying they have been wronged.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	complainant	complainant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	makes	make	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	official	official	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	complaint	complaint	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
11	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	brings	bring	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	case	case	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	_
15	to	to	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	court	court	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
19	saying	say	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	7	advcl	_	_
20	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	23	nsubj:pass	_	_
21	have	have	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	23	aux	_	_
22	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	23	aux:pass	_	_
23	wronged	wrong	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	19	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a complainant | a person |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **make** | present | a person | a official complaint |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent complaint=Product |
| 3 | **bring** | present | a person *not said here* | a case |  | a court |  |  | vn bring-11.3-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent case=Theme to court=Destination |
| 4 | **say** *speech: assert* | gerund | a person *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 5 | **wrong** | present · perfect · passive |  | they |  |  |  |  | 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}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: formal — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Anyone who makes a formal complaint, for example to a company or school.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:complainant:m2:1
# text = Anyone who makes a formal complaint, for example to a company or school.
1	Anyone	anyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	0	root	_	_
2	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	3	nsubj	_	_
3	makes	make	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	acl:relcl	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	formal	formal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	complaint	complaint	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
8	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	example	example	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
10	to	to	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	company	company	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
13	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | present |  | a formal complaint |  |  |  | for example; to a company or school | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP P.asset»: agent=Agent complaint=Product for example=Asset |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The complainant told the court what had happened.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:complainant:x1:1
# text = The complainant told the court what had happened.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	complainant	complainant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	told	tell	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	court	court	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	iobj	_	_
6	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	8	nsubj	_	_
7	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
8	happened	happen	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	3	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | past | the complainant |  | the court |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP what S»: agent=Agent court=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 2 | **happen** | past · perfect |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The judge listened to both the complainant and the accused.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:complainant:x2:1
# text = The judge listened to both the complainant and the accused.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	judge	judge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	listened	listen	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	both	both	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc:preconj	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	complainant	complainant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	accused	accuse	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **listen** | past | the judge |  |  |  |  | to the complainant | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent to complainant=Theme |
| 2 | **accuse** | participle | the judge *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn suspect-81 «NP V PP.theme S\_ING»: agent=Agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The complainant asked for the money to be returned.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:complainant:x3:1
# text = The complainant asked for the money to be returned.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	complainant	complainant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	asked	ask	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	for	for	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	money	money	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
8	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	aux:pass	_	_
9	returned	return	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ask** *speech: ask* | past | the complainant |  |  |  |  | for the money | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **return** | to-infinitive · passive | the complainant *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V» |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The company wrote back to each complainant.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:complainant:x4:1
# text = The company wrote back to each complainant.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	company	company	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	wrote	write	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	back	back	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	7	det	_	_
7	complainant	complainant	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 | **write back** | past | the company |  | each complainant |  |  |  | vn lecture-37.11-1 «NP V PP.recipient PP.topic»: agent=Agent to complainant=Recipient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the case, the complainant was a shop owner.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:complainant:x5:1
# text = In the case, the complainant was a shop owner.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	case	case	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	complainant	complainant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
7	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	shop	shop	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	owner	owner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | the complainant | a shop owner |  | the case |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The complainant's name was kept secret.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:complainant:x6:1
# text = The complainant's name was kept secret.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	complainant	complainant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	name	name	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj:pass	_	_
5	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux:pass	_	_
6	kept	keep	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
7	secret	secret	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **keep** | past · passive |  | the complainant's name |  |  |  | secret *property* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |
| 2 | **name** |  | the complainant |  |  |  |  |  | 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 -->

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