---
title: duckling — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «duckling» in the school dictionary: A duckling is a baby duck. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# duckling

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** duckling, ugly duckling, Five fluffy ducklings, Ducklings, We, you · **What happens:** be, seem, grow up, follow, hatch, swim · **To what, where:** baby duck, someone, stories, mother, pond, road · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«duckling» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 8 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: [duckling in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/duckling.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A duckling is a baby duck.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:duckling:m1:1
# text = A duckling is a baby duck.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	duckling	duckling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	baby	baby	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	duck	duck	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** | present | a duckling | a baby duck |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- .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 stories, an «ugly duckling» is someone who seems plain or awkward at first but grows up to be beautiful or great.

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:duckling:m2:1
# text = In stories, an «ugly duckling» is someone who seems plain or awkward at first but grows up to be beautiful or great.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	stories	story	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
5	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	ugly	ugly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	duckling	duckling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	7	punct	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
10	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	0	root	_	_
11	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	12	nsubj	_	_
12	seems	seem	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	acl:relcl	_	_
13	plain	plain	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	xcomp	_	_
14	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
15	awkward	awkward	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	conj	_	_
16	at	at	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
17	first	first	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	12	obl	_	_
18	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
19	grows	grow	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	conj	_	_
20	up	up	ADP	RP	_	19	compound:prt	_	_
21	to	to	PART	TO	_	23	mark	_	_
22	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	23	cop	_	_
23	beautiful	beautiful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	19	xcomp	_	_
24	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	25	cc	_	_
25	great	great	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	23	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a ugly duckling | someone |  | stories |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **seem** | present |  |  |  |  |  | plain *property* | vn seem-109-1-1-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **grow up** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **is** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | beautiful *property* | tree rules |
| 5 | **be** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Five fluffy ducklings followed their mother to the pond.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:duckling:x1:1
# text = Five fluffy ducklings followed their mother to the pond.
1	Five	five	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	3	nummod	_	_
2	fluffy	fluffy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	ducklings	duckling	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	followed	follow	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	mother	mother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	pond	pond	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **follow** | past | Five fluffy ducklings | ducklings's mother |  | the pond |  |  | vn chase-51.6 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent mother=Theme to pond=Trajectory |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The duckling hatched from its egg this morning.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:duckling:x2:1
# text = The duckling hatched from its egg this morning.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	duckling	duckling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	hatched	hatch	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	from	from	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	egg	egg	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	8	det	_	_
8	morning	morning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hatch** | past | the duckling |  |  |  | morning | from duckling's egg | vn grow-26.2.1 «NP.product V PP.patient»: agent=Product from egg=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ducklings can swim soon after they hatch.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:duckling:x3:1
# text = Ducklings can swim soon after they hatch.
1	Ducklings	duckling	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	swim	swim	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	soon	soon	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	3	advmod	_	_
5	after	after	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
6	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	hatch	hatch	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **swim** | can | Ducklings |  |  |  |  | soon *property* | vn run-51.3.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **hatch** | present | Ducklings *= duckling* |  |  |  |  |  | vn grow-26.2.1 «NP.patient V PP.product»: agent=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We watched the ducklings cross the road safely.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:duckling:x4:1
# text = We watched the ducklings cross the road safely.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	watched	watch	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	ducklings	duckling	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
5	cross	cross	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	ccomp	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	road	road	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	safely	safely	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **watch** | past | We |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **cross** | present | the ducklings | the road |  |  |  | safely *property* | vn crane-40.3.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent road=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In «The Ugly Duckling», the duckling grows into a swan.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:duckling:x5:1
# text = In «The Ugly Duckling», the duckling grows into a swan.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
2	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	Ugly	ugly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	Duckling	Duckling	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	duckling	duckling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
10	grows	grow	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
11	into	into	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	swan	swan	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **grow** | present | the duckling |  |  | the Ugly Duckling |  | into a swan | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in duckling=Location |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Don't feed the ducklings bread; it is bad for them.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:duckling:x6:1
# text = Don't feed the ducklings bread; it is bad for them.
1	Do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	feed	feed	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	ducklings	duckling	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	compound	_	_
6	bread	bread	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	10	punct	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
10	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	conj	_	_
11	for	for	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **feed** | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* | the ducklings bread |  |  |  |  | vn feeding-39.7 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: agent=Agent bread=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | present | bread |  |  |  |  | for them *= they*; bad *property* | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
If there were 7 ducklings and 2 waddled away, 5 were left.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:duckling:x7:1
# text = If there were 7 ducklings and 2 waddled away, 5 were left.
1	If	if	SCONJ	IN	_	3	mark	_	_
2	there	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	3	expl	_	_
3	were	be	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	advcl	_	_
4	7	7	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	ducklings	duckling	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
7	2	2	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	8	nsubj	_	_
8	waddled	waddle	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	away	away	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
11	5	5	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	13	nsubj:pass	_	_
12	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	13	aux:pass	_	_
13	left	leave	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **be** *a condition, not said to happen* | past | 7 ducklings |  |  | there |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **waddle away** | past | 2 |  |  |  |  | away *property* | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **leave** | past · passive |  | 5 |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"You don't understand me," said the duckling.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:duckling:x8:1
# text = "You don't understand me," said the duckling.
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	You	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
3	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	5	advmod	_	_
5	understand	understand	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	ccomp	_	_
6	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
9	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	duckling	duckling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **understand** *in a quote* | present · do-support | You | the duckling *= duckling* |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Experiencer i=Stimulus |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | the duckling |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |

<!-- 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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