---
title: cornflour — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «cornflour» in the school dictionary: Cornflour is a fine white powder made from maize (corn), used in cooking to make sauces, soups and gravy thicker. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# cornflour

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Cornflour, corn flour, whole corn, you, We, oobleck · **What happens:** be, make, use, mean, mix, add · **To what, where:** fine white powder, maize, cooking, sauces, flour ground, whole corn · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Cornflour is a fine white powder made from maize (corn), used in cooking to make sauces, soups and gravy thicker.

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cornflour:m1:1
# text = Cornflour is a fine white powder made from maize (corn), used in cooking to make sauces, soups and gravy thicker.
1	Cornflour	cornflour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
4	fine	fine	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
5	white	white	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	powder	powder	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	acl	_	_
8	from	from	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	maize	maize	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
10	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	corn	corn	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
14	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	parataxis	_	_
15	in	in	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
16	cooking	cooking	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	_
17	to	to	PART	TO	_	18	mark	_	_
18	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	14	advcl	_	_
19	sauces	sauce	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	18	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
21	soups	soup	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	19	conj	_	_
22	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	23	cc	_	_
23	gravy	gravy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	conj	_	_
24	thicker	thick	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	19	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Cornflour | a fine white powder |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **make** | participle |  | a fine white powder *not said here* |  | maize |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V PP»: agent=Asset from maize=Material |
| 3 | **use** | participle |  |  |  | cooking |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **make** | to-infinitive |  | sauces and soups and gravy |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset sauce=Product |

<!-- .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 -->
In the US, «corn flour» can also mean flour ground from whole corn, which is different.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cornflour:m2:1
# text = In the US, «corn flour» can also mean flour ground from whole corn, which is different.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	US	US	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	corn	corn	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	flour	flour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	7	punct	_	_
9	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
10	also	also	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
11	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
12	flour	flour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	compound	_	_
13	ground	ground	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	_
14	from	from	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	whole	whole	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	corn	corn	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	20	punct	_	_
18	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	20	nsubj	_	_
19	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	20	cop	_	_
20	different	different	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | can | corn flour | flour ground |  | whole corn |  | in the US | vn representation-110.1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Pivot ground=Theme in us=Attribute |
| 2 | **is** | present | whole corn |  |  |  |  | different *property* | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mix the cornflour with cold water before adding it to the gravy.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cornflour:x1:1
# text = Mix the cornflour with cold water before adding it to the gravy.
1	Mix	mix	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	cornflour	cornflour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	cold	cold	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
7	before	before	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
8	adding	add	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	1	advcl	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	_
10	to	to	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	gravy	gravy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mix** | imperative | you *not said here* | the cornflour |  |  |  | with cold water | vn mix-22.1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.co-patient»: agent=Agent cornflour=Patient with water=Co-Patient |
| 2 | **add** *speech: assert* | gerund | you *not said here* | cornflour |  |  |  | to the gravy | vn mix-22.1-2 «NP V NP PP.co-patient»: agent=Agent it=Patient to gravy=Co-Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Cornflour makes the sauce thick and shiny.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cornflour:x2:1
# text = Cornflour makes the sauce thick and shiny.
1	Cornflour	cornflour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	makes	make	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	sauce	sauce	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	thick	thick	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	shiny	shiny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | present | Cornflour | the sauce |  |  |  | thick *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset sauce=Product |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We made slime with cornflour and water.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cornflour:x3:1
# text = We made slime with cornflour and water.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	slime	slime	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	cornflour	cornflour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past | We | slime |  |  |  | with cornflour and water | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent slime=Product |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The oobleck went hard when I punched it.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cornflour:x4:1
# text = The oobleck went hard when I punched it.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	oobleck	oobleck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	hard	hard	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	3	advmod	_	_
5	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	7	advmod	_	_
6	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	punched	punch	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go** | past | the oobleck |  |  |  |  | hard *property* | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **punch** | past | I | oobleck |  |  |  |  | vn carve-21.2-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
US recipes call cornflour «cornstarch».

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cornflour:x5:1
# text = US recipes call cornflour «cornstarch».
1	US	US	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	recipes	recipe	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	call	call	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	cornflour	cornflour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
5	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	cornstarch	cornstarch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** | present | US recipes | cornflour |  |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent cornflour=Recipient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Cornflour is gluten-free.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cornflour:x6:1
# text = Cornflour is gluten-free.
1	Cornflour	cornflour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	gluten	gluten	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	free	free	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Cornflour |  |  |  |  | free *property* | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dust the table with cornflour so the icing does not stick.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cornflour:x7:1
# text = Dust the table with cornflour so the icing does not stick.
1	Dust	dust	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	table	table	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	cornflour	cornflour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	_
6	so	so	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	icing	icing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
9	does	do	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
10	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	11	advmod	_	_
11	stick	stick	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **stick** | present · do-support | the icing | the Dust table with cornflour *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn spray-9.7-1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent table=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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