---
title: earlier — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «earlier» in the school dictionary: Earlier means at a time before now or before another time. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# earlier

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** adjective, I, We, bus, timetable, you · **What happens:** mean, come, see, go, leave, say · **To what, where:** dog, bed, homework, 7:00, 6:00 · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Earlier means at a time before now or before another time.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:earlier:m1:1
# text = Earlier means at a time before now or before another time.
1	Earlier	early	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	2	advmod	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	at	at	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	before	before	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	now	now	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	2	obl	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
9	before	before	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	another	another	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	11	det	_	_
11	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  | time | early *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .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 -->
More early: sooner than usual or sooner than something else.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:earlier:m2:1
# text = More early: sooner than usual or sooner than something else.
1	More	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	4	advmod	_	_
2	early	early	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	1	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	4	punct	_	_
4	sooner	soon	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	0	root	_	_
5	than	than	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	usual	usual	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	obl	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	sooner	soon	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	4	conj	_	_
9	than	than	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	8	obl	_	_
11	else	else	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

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

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
As an adjective, it means coming before another one, as in an earlier chapter.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:earlier:m3:1
# text = As an adjective, it means coming before another one, as in an earlier chapter.
1	As	as	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	adjective	adjective	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	coming	come	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	xcomp	_	_
8	before	before	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	another	another	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	10	det	_	_
10	one	one	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
12	as	as	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
13	in	in	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
14	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
15	earlier	early	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	16	amod	_	_
16	chapter	chapter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | adjective |  |  |  |  | as a adjective | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **come** *not said to happen* | gerund | adjective *not said here* |  |  |  | before another one | as a earlier chapter | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme before one=Location |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I saw your dog earlier today.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:earlier:x1:1
# text = I saw your dog earlier today.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	saw	see	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	earlier	early	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	2	advmod	_	_
6	today	today	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **see** | past | I | your dog |  |  | today | early *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer dog=Stimulus |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We went to bed earlier than usual because of the trip.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:earlier:x2:1
# text = We went to bed earlier than usual because of the trip.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	bed	bed	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
5	earlier	early	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	7	advmod	_	_
6	than	than	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	usual	usual	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	_
8	because	because	ADP	IN	ExtPos=ADP	11	case	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	fixed	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	trip	trip	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go** | past | We |  |  | bed |  | usual *property* | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme to bed=Initial\_Location |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The bus left ten minutes earlier than the timetable said.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:earlier:x3:1
# text = The bus left ten minutes earlier than the timetable said.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	bus	bus	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	left	leave	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	ten	ten	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	minutes	minute	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl:unmarked	_	_
6	earlier	early	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	3	advmod	_	_
7	than	than	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	timetable	timetable	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
10	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **leave** | past | the bus |  |  |  |  | early *property* | vn escape-51.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | the timetable |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Look back at the earlier page for help.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:earlier:x4:1
# text = Look back at the earlier page for help.
1	Look	look	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	back	back	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	_
3	at	at	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	earlier	early	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	6	amod	_	_
6	page	page	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
7	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	help	help	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look back** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | at the earlier page for help | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent at page=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Earlier, it was sunny, but now it is raining.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:earlier:x5:1
# text = Earlier, it was sunny, but now it is raining.
1	Earlier	early	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	sunny	sunny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
7	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
8	now	now	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	11	advmod	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
10	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
11	raining	rain	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | it |  |  |  |  | early, sunny *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **rain** | present · progressive | it |  |  |  | now |  | vn weather-57 «It V PP.theme» |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Can you come a bit earlier tomorrow?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:earlier:x6:1
# text = Can you come a bit earlier tomorrow?
1	Can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
2	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	come	come	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	bit	bit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl:unmarked	_	_
6	earlier	early	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	7	amod	_	_
7	tomorrow	tomorrow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come** | can | you |  |  |  | tomorrow |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The earlier you start your homework, the sooner you finish.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:earlier:x7:1
# text = The earlier you start your homework, the sooner you finish.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	earlier	early	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	4	advmod	_	_
3	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	start	start	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	homework	homework	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	sooner	soon	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	11	advmod	_	_
10	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
11	finish	finish	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **start** | present | you | your homework |  |  |  | early *property* | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent homework=Eventuality |
| 2 | **finish** | present | you |  |  |  |  | soon *property* | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
If the film starts at 7:00, an hour earlier is 6:00.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:earlier:x8:1
# text = If the film starts at 7:00, an hour earlier is 6:00.
1	If	if	SCONJ	IN	_	4	mark	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	film	film	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	starts	start	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	advcl	_	_
5	at	at	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	7:00	7:00	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
8	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	hour	hour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl:unmarked	_	_
10	earlier	early	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	12	advmod	_	_
11	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
12	6:00	6:00	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	12	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **start** *a condition, not said to happen* | present | the film |  |  | 7:00 |  |  | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |
| 2 | **is a** | present |  | 6:00 |  |  |  | early *property* | tree rules |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
But none got there earlier than Mother Monkey.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:earlier:x9:1
# text = But none got there earlier than Mother Monkey.
1	But	but	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
2	none	none	PRON	NN	PronType=Neg	3	nsubj	_	_
3	got	get	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	there	there	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	3	advmod	_	_
5	earlier	early	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	3	advmod	_	_
6	than	than	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	Mother	Mother	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	Monkey	Monkey	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** | past | none |  |  | there |  | early *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: 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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