---
title: cost — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «cost» in the school dictionary: To cost is to have a price: what you must pay to buy something. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# cost

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** you, cost, late, pencil, Pencils, total cost · **What happens:** cost, be, pay, buy, mean, make · **To what, where:** something, price, amount, you, game, us · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«cost» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 9 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: [cost in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/cost.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To cost is to have a price: what you must pay to buy something.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cost:m1:1
# text = To cost is to have a price: what you must pay to buy something.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	cost	cost	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	csubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	have	have	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	price	price	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	12	punct	_	_
9	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	12	obj	_	_
10	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
11	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	12	aux	_	_
12	pay	pay	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	conj	_	_
13	to	to	PART	TO	_	14	mark	_	_
14	buy	buy	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	xcomp	_	_
15	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	14	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cost** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn cost-54.2 «NP V NP.value»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | have *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **pay** | must | you |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **buy** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* | something |  |  |  |  | vn accept-77.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=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 -->
The cost is the price or the amount paid.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cost:m2:1
# text = The cost is the price or the amount paid.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	cost	cost	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	price	price	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	amount	amount	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
9	paid	pay	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the cost | the price or the amount |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **pay** | participle |  | the amount *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn pay-68-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To cost can mean to make you lose something: «Being late cost us the game».

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cost:m3:1
# text = To cost can mean to make you lose something: «Being late cost us the game».
1	To	to	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	cost	cost	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	lose	lose	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	xcomp	_	_
9	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	14	punct	_	_
11	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	Being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	13	cop	_	_
13	late	late	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	nsubj	_	_
14	cost	cost	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	advcl	_	_
15	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	14	iobj	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	game	game	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | can |  |  |  |  |  | to cost | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **make** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  | you |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **lose** *not said to happen* | infinitive | you *not said here* | something |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Eventuality |
| 4 | **is** *in a quote* | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | late *property* | tree rules |
| 5 | **cost** *in a quote* | present | late | the game | us |  |  |  | vn cost-54.2 «NP V NP NP»: agent=Theme we=Beneficiary game=Value |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A pencil costs 3 cents.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cost:x1:1
# text = A pencil costs 3 cents.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	pencil	pencil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	costs	cost	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	3	3	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	cents	cent	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cost** | present | a pencil | 3 cents |  |  |  |  | vn cost-54.2 «NP V NP.value»: agent=Theme cent=Value |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Pencils cost 3 cents each. How much do 5 pencils cost?

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Pencils cost 3 cents each.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cost:x2:1
# text = Pencils cost 3 cents each.
1	Pencils	pencil	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	cost	cost	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	3	3	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	4	nummod	_	_
4	cents	cent	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cost** | present | Pencils | 3 cents  each |  |  |  |  | vn cost-54.2 «NP V NP.value»: agent=Theme cent=Value |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* How much do 5 pencils cost?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cost:x2:2
# text = How much do 5 pencils cost?
1	How	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	2	advmod	_	_
2	much	much	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	obj	_	_
3	do	do	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	5	5	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	pencils	pencil	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	compound	_	_
6	cost	cost	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The total cost is 24 cents.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cost:x3:1
# text = The total cost is 24 cents.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	total	total	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	cost	cost	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	24	24	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	6	nummod	_	_
6	cents	cent	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the total cost | 24 cents |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
How much does this book cost?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cost:x4:1
# text = How much does this book cost?
1	How	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	2	advmod	_	_
2	much	much	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	nsubj	_	_
3	does	do	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	6	det	_	_
5	book	book	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	compound	_	_
6	cost	cost	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | present | much | this book cost |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent cost=Eventuality |
| 2 | **book** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The tickets cost 8 dollars each.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cost:x5:1
# text = The tickets cost 8 dollars each.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	tickets	ticket	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	cost	cost	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	8	8	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	dollars	dollar	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	5	nmod:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cost** | present | the tickets | 8 dollars  each |  |  |  |  | vn cost-54.2 «NP V NP.value»: agent=Theme dollar=Value |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The bike cost more than the scooter.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cost:x6:1
# text = The bike cost more than the scooter.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	bike	bike	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	cost	cost	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	3	obj	_	_
5	than	than	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	scooter	scooter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cost** | present | the bike | more |  |  |  |  | vn cost-54.2 «NP V NP.value»: agent=Theme more=Value |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The cost of food went up this year.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cost:x7:1
# text = The cost of food went up this year.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	cost	cost	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
5	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	up	up	ADP	RP	_	5	compound:prt	_	_
7	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	8	det	_	_
8	year	year	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go up** | past | the cost of food |  |  |  | year |  | vn calibratable\_cos-45.6.1-1 «NP.attribute V»: agent=Attribute |
| 2 | **cost** |  |  | food |  |  |  |  | nom cost «possession transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
One mistake cost us the match.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cost:x8:1
# text = One mistake cost us the match.
1	One	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	2	nummod	_	_
2	mistake	mistake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	cost	cost	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	iobj	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	match	match	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cost** | past | One mistake | the match | us |  |  |  | vn cost-54.2 «NP V NP NP»: agent=Theme we=Beneficiary match=Value |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"Will it cost much, I wonder?"

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cost:x9:1
# text = "Will it cost much, I wonder?"
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	cost	cost	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	much	much	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
7	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	wonder	wonder	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cost** *in a quote* | future | it |  |  |  |  |  | vn cost-54.2 «NP V NP.value»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **wonder** *speech: ask* *in a quote* | present | I |  |  |  |  |  | vn care-88.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |

<!-- 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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