---
title: criterion — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «criterion» in the school dictionary: A criterion is a rule or standard used to judge or decide something. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# criterion

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** criterion, Success criteria, teacher, steps, you, main criterion · **What happens:** be, use, judge, decide, say, show · **To what, where:** rule, something, steps, task, neat handwriting, success criteria · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A criterion is a rule or standard used to judge or decide something.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:criterion:m1:1
# text = A criterion is a rule or standard used to judge or decide something.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	criterion	criterion	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	rule	rule	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	standard	standard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
8	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	acl	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	judge	judge	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	xcomp	_	_
11	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	decide	decide	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	conj	_	_
13	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	12	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a criterion | a rule or standard |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **use** | participle |  | a rule or standard *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 3 | **judge** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn estimate-34.2-1-1 «NP V whether/if S»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **decide** | infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent something=Topic |

<!-- .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 -->
Success criteria are the steps a teacher says show you did the task well.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:criterion:m2:1
# text = Success criteria are the steps a teacher says show you did the task well.
1	Success	success	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	criteria	criterion	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	steps	step	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nsubj	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
8	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
9	show	show	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
10	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
11	did	do	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	ccomp	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	task	task	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	_
14	well	well	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	11	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Success criteria | the steps |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | a teacher | the steps *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent step=Topic |
| 3 | **show** | present | the steps |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 4 | **do** | past | you | the task |  |  |  | well *property* | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent task=Eventuality |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The main criterion was neat handwriting.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:criterion:x1:1
# text = The main criterion was neat handwriting.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	main	main	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	criterion	criterion	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	neat	neat	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	handwriting	handwriting	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	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** | past | the main criterion | neat handwriting |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Read the success criteria before you start.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:criterion:x2:1
# text = Read the success criteria before you start.
1	Read	read	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	success	success	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	criteria	criterion	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obj	_	_
5	before	before	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
6	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	start	start	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **read** | imperative | you *not said here* | the success criteria |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent criterion=Topic |
| 2 | **start** | present | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
What criteria will the judges use?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:criterion:x3:1
# text = What criteria will the judges use?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	0	root	_	_
2	criteria	criterion	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	nsubj	_	_
3	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	judges	judge	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
6	use	use	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | future | the judges | criteria *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent criterion=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Price was one criterion for choosing a bike.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:criterion:x4:1
# text = Price was one criterion for choosing a bike.
1	Price	price	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	4	nummod	_	_
4	criterion	criterion	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
6	choosing	choose	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	4	acl	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	bike	bike	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | Price | one criterion |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **choose** | gerund | one criterion *not said here* | a bike |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent bike=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The essay met all the criteria.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:criterion:x5:1
# text = The essay met all the criteria.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	essay	essay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	met	meet	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	all	all	DET	PDT	PronType=Tot	6	det:predet	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	criteria	criterion	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **meet** | past | the essay | all criteria |  |  |  |  | vn meet-36.3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent criterion=Co-Agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Kindness is one criterion for the class award.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:criterion:x6:1
# text = Kindness is one criterion for the class award.
1	Kindness	kindness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	4	nummod	_	_
4	criterion	criterion	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	class	class	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	award	award	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Kindness | one criterion |  |  |  | for the class award | tree rules |

<!-- 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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