---
title: convention — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «convention» in the school dictionary: The usual or accepted way of doing something; a custom or rule people follow. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# convention

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** usual way, custom, standard rule, we, Spelling, Shaking · **What happens:** do, follow, agree, use, leave, write · **To what, where:** something, usual way, writing numbers, right, x axis, page

<!-- .vabout -->
«convention» in the school dictionary: its 4 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: [convention in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/convention.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The usual or accepted way of doing something; a custom or rule people follow.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:convention:m1:1
# text = The usual or accepted way of doing something; a custom or rule people follow.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
2	usual	usual	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	accepted	accepted	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	conj	_	_
5	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obl:unmarked	_	_
6	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
7	doing	do	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	acl	_	_
8	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	11	punct	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	custom	custom	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nsubj	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	rule	rule	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	conj	_	_
14	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	15	nsubj	_	_
15	follow	follow	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	15	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | gerund | the usual way *not said here* | something |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Eventuality |
| 2 | **follow** | present | a custom or rule | the usual way |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- .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 -->
A large meeting of people with the same interest or job (a comic convention).

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:convention:m2:1
# text = A large meeting of people with the same interest or job (a comic convention).
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	large	large	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	meeting	meeting	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nmod	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	same	same	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	interest	interest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	job	job	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	conj	_	_
12	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
14	comic	comic	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	convention	convention	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An official agreement between countries (the Geneva Convention).

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:convention:m3:1
# text = An official agreement between countries (the Geneva Convention).
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	official	official	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	agreement	agreement	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	between	between	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	countries	country	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nmod	_	_
6	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	Geneva	Geneva	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	Convention	Convention	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A standard rule everyone agrees to use, such as writing numbers left to right.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:convention:m4:1
# text = A standard rule everyone agrees to use, such as writing numbers left to right.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	standard	standard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	rule	rule	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	everyone	everyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	5	nsubj	_	_
5	agrees	agree	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	use	use	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
9	such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|ExtPos=ADP	12	case	_	_
10	as	as	ADP	IN	_	9	fixed	_	_
11	writing	writing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	compound	_	_
12	numbers	number	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	_
13	left	leave	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	12	acl	_	_
14	to	to	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	right	right	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **agree** *speech: agree* | present | a standard rule |  |  |  |  |  | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V what S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **use** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | a standard rule *not said here* | writing numbers |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent number=Patient |
| 3 | **leave** | participle |  | writing numbers *not said here* |  | right |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme to right=Initial\_Location |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
By convention, we write the x-axis across the page.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:convention:x1:1
# text = By convention, we write the x-axis across the page.
1	By	by	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	convention	convention	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
5	write	write	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
7	x	x	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	axis	axis	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
10	across	across	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	page	page	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write** | present | we | the x axis |  | the page |  | by convention | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent axis=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Spelling and punctuation are writing conventions.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:convention:x2:1
# text = Spelling and punctuation are writing conventions.
1	Spelling	spelling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
2	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
3	punctuation	punctuation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	conj	_	_
4	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	writing	write	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
6	conventions	convention	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write** | present · progressive | Spelling and punctuation | conventions |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent convention=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We dressed up for the comic convention.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:convention:x3:1
# text = We dressed up for the comic convention.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	dressed	dress	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	up	up	ADP	RP	_	2	compound:prt	_	_
4	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	comic	comic	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	convention	convention	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 | **dress up** | past | We |  |  |  |  | for the comic convention | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Shaking hands is a convention in many countries.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:convention:x4:1
# text = Shaking hands is a convention in many countries.
1	Shaking	shake	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	csubj	_	_
2	hands	hand	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obj	_	_
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	convention	convention	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	countries	country	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **shake** | gerund |  | hands |  |  |  |  | vn shake-22.3-2 «NP V NP together»: agent=Agent hand=Patient |
| 2 | **is a** | present | Shaking | a convention |  | many countries |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Geneva Convention protects prisoners of war.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:convention:x5:1
# text = The Geneva Convention protects prisoners of war.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	Geneva	Geneva	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	Convention	Convention	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	protects	protect	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	prisoners	prisoner	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	war	war	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **protect** | present | the Geneva Convention | prisoners of war |  |  |  |  | vn defend-72.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent prisoner=Beneficiary |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The writer broke with convention and used no capital letters.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:convention:x6:1
# text = The writer broke with convention and used no capital letters.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	writer	writer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	broke	break	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	convention	convention	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	used	use	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
8	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	10	det	_	_
9	capital	capital	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	letters	letter	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **break** | past | the writer |  |  |  |  | with convention | vn break-45.1 «NP V NP PP.instrument»: agent=Agent with convention=Instrument |
| 2 | **use** | past | the writer *not said here* | no capital letters |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent letter=Patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The possibility of the introduction of an archaic formula which had become a convention of folk-telling cannot be left out of account.

<!-- fold The tree, 24 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:convention:x7:1
# text = The possibility of the introduction of an archaic formula which had become a convention of folk-telling cannot be left out of account.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	possibility	possibility	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	introduction	introduction	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	archaic	archaic	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	formula	formula	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
10	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	12	nsubj	_	_
11	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	12	aux	_	_
12	become	become	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	9	acl:relcl	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	convention	convention	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	xcomp	_	_
15	of	of	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
16	folk	folk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	telling	telling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nmod	_	_
19	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	22	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	22	advmod	_	_
21	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	22	aux:pass	_	_
22	left	leave	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
23	out	out	ADP	IN	_	25	case	_	_
24	of	of	ADP	IN	_	25	case	_	_
25	account	account	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	22	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **become** | past · perfect | a archaic formula | a convention of folk telling |  |  |  |  | vn become-109.1-1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **not** **leave out** | can · passive |  | the possibility of the introduction of a archaic formula |  | account |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **introduce** |  |  | a archaic formula |  |  |  |  | nom introduction «act transitive»: of=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 -->

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