---
title: conditional — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «conditional» in the school dictionary: Depending on something else happening first; only true or allowed if a condition is met. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# conditional

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** it, sentence, conditional statement, trip, My, you · **What happens:** depend, happen, allow, meet, rain, stay in · **To what, where:** condition, homework, ice, conditional sentence, computer, coding · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Depending on something else happening first; only true or allowed if a condition is met.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:conditional:m1:1
# text = Depending on something else happening first; only true or allowed if a condition is met.
1	Depending	depend	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	9	csubj	_	_
2	on	on	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	1	obl	_	_
4	else	else	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
5	happening	happen	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	3	acl	_	_
6	first	first	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	9	punct	_	_
8	only	only	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	allowed	allow	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	9	conj	_	_
12	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	16	mark	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	condition	condition	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	nsubj	_	_
15	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	16	aux:pass	_	_
16	met	meet	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	11	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **depend** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | on something | vn rely-70 «NP V PP.theme S\_ING»: agent=Agent on something=Theme |
| 2 | **happen** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | first *property* | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **allow** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn allow-64.1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Causer |
| 4 | **meet** *a condition, not said to happen* | present · passive |  | a condition |  |  |  |  | vn meet-36.3-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Co-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}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A sentence or verb form with "if", like "If it rains, we will stay in.".

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:conditional:m2:1
# text = A sentence or verb form with "if", like "If it rains, we will stay in.".
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	sentence	sentence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	nsubj	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
4	verb	verb	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	form	form	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
11	like	like	SCONJ	IN	_	19	mark	_	_
12	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	19	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	If	if	SCONJ	IN	_	15	mark	_	_
14	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	nsubj	_	_
15	rains	rain	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	19	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
17	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	19	nsubj	_	_
18	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	19	aux	_	_
19	stay	stay	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
20	in	in	ADV	RB	_	19	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	19	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	19	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	19	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **rain** *a condition, not said to happen, in a quote* | present | it |  |  |  |  |  | vn weather-57 «It V PP.theme» |
| 2 | **stay in** *in a quote* | future | a sentence or verb form |  |  |  |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A conditional statement says "if this, then that".

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:conditional:m3:1
# text = A conditional statement says "if this, then that".
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	conditional	conditional	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	statement	statement	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
7	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	4	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
9	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	10	advmod	_	_
10	that	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	4	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | a conditional statement |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My trip to the park is conditional on finishing my homework.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:conditional:x1:1
# text = My trip to the park is conditional on finishing my homework.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	trip	trip	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	to	to	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	park	park	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	conditional	conditional	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
8	on	on	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
9	finishing	finish	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	7	advcl	_	_
10	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	11	nmod:poss	_	_
11	homework	homework	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | My trip to the park |  |  |  |  | conditional *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **finish** | gerund | My trip to the park *not said here* | my homework |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V NP.eventuality»: agent=Subeventuality homework=Eventuality |
| 3 | **trip** |  | My |  |  |  |  | to the park | nom trip «act transitive»: poss=agent to=obl |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"If you heat ice, it melts" is a conditional sentence.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:conditional:x2:1
# text = "If you heat ice, it melts" is a conditional sentence.
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	If	if	SCONJ	IN	_	4	mark	_	_
3	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	heat	heat	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	advcl	_	_
5	ice	ice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	melts	melt	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	csubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	8	punct	_	_
10	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	conditional	conditional	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	sentence	sentence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	13	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **heat** *a condition, not said to happen, in a quote* | present | you | ice |  |  |  |  | vn cooking-45.3 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent ice=Patient |
| 2 | **melt** *in a quote* | present | ice |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4-1 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 3 | **is a** | present |  | a conditional sentence |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In coding, a conditional tells the computer what to do if something is true.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:conditional:x3:1
# text = In coding, a conditional tells the computer what to do if something is true.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	coding	coding	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	conditional	conditional	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	nsubj	_	_
6	tells	tell	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	computer	computer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	iobj	_	_
9	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	11	obj	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	xcomp	_	_
12	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	15	mark	_	_
13	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	15	nsubj	_	_
14	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	15	cop	_	_
15	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | present | a conditional |  | the computer | coding |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent computer=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 2 | **do** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | a conditional *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent what=Eventuality |
| 3 | **is** *a condition, not said to happen* | present | something |  |  |  |  | true *property* | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She got a conditional offer from the university.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:conditional:x4:1
# text = She got a conditional offer from the university.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	got	get	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	conditional	conditional	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	offer	offer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	from	from	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	university	university	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** | past | She | a conditional offer |  | the university |  |  | vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP PP.source»: agent=Agent offer=Theme from university=Source |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The prize is conditional on good behaviour.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:conditional:x5:1
# text = The prize is conditional on good behaviour.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	prize	prize	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	conditional	conditional	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	behaviour	behaviour	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 | **is** | present | the prize |  |  | good behaviour |  | conditional *property* | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Use the conditional: "I would help if I could."

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:conditional:x6:1
# text = Use the conditional: "I would help if I could."
1	Use	use	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	conditional	conditional	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	8	punct	_	_
5	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
7	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
8	help	help	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	parataxis	_	_
9	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
10	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
11	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	8	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | imperative | you *not said here* | the conditional |  |  |  |  | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent conditional=Theme clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **help** *in a quote* | would | I |  |  |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Parents' love should not be conditional on good marks.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:conditional:x7:1
# text = Parents' love should not be conditional on good marks.
1	Parents	parent	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	'	's	PART	POS	_	1	case	_	_
3	love	love	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
4	should	should	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
5	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	7	advmod	_	_
6	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	cop	_	_
7	conditional	conditional	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
8	on	on	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	marks	mark	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **is** | should | Parents's love |  |  | good marks |  | conditional *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **love** |  | Parents |  |  |  |  |  | nom love «feeling 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 -->

<!-- pn -->
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