---
title: earn — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «earn» in the school dictionary: To earn means to get money because you did work. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# earn

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** you, Money, She, He, They, I · **What happens:** earn, mean, get, work, be, deserve · **To what, where:** money, it, interest, bank, lawns, much · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To earn means to get money because you did work.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:earn:m1:1
# text = To earn means to get money because you did work.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	earn	earn	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	csubj	_	_
3	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	get	get	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	money	money	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
7	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
8	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
9	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
10	work	work	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **earn** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **get** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  | money |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer money=Stimulus |
| 4 | **work** | past · do-support | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn employment-95.3 «NP V»: 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 -->
To earn is also to get something good because you deserve it, like earning points, praise or a badge.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:earn:m2:1
# text = To earn is also to get something good because you deserve it, like earning points, praise or a badge.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	earn	earn	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	also	also	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	get	get	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	6	obj	_	_
8	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
9	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
10	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
11	deserve	deserve	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	advcl	_	_
12	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
14	like	like	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	earning	earn	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	16	amod	_	_
16	points	point	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
18	praise	praise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	conj	_	_
19	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	21	cc	_	_
20	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
21	badge	badge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **earn** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | get *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **deserve** | present | you | it |  |  |  | like earning points and praise or a badge | tree rules |
| 4 | **earn** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Money can earn interest in a bank.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:earn:m3:1
# text = Money can earn interest in a bank.
1	Money	money	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	earn	earn	VERB	VB	_	0	root	_	_
4	interest	interest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	bank	bank	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **earn** | can | Money | interest |  | a bank |  |  | vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent interest=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She earns $10 an hour.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:earn:x1:1
# text = She earns $10 an hour.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	earns	earn	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	$	$	SYM	$	_	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	10	10	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	3	nummod	_	_
5	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	hour	hour	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 | **earn** | present | She |  |  |  | hour |  | vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent $=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He earned $45 mowing lawns.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:earn:x2:1
# text = He earned $45 mowing lawns.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	earned	earn	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	$	$	SYM	$	_	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	45	45	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	3	nummod	_	_
5	mowing	mow	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
6	lawns	lawn	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **earn** | past | He |  |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent $=Theme |
| 2 | **mow** | gerund | He *not said here* | lawns |  |  |  |  | vn carve-21.2-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent lawn=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
How much does she earn in 5 hours?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:earn:x3:1
# text = How much does she earn in 5 hours?
1	How	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	2	advmod	_	_
2	much	much	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	obj	_	_
3	does	do	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
4	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
5	earn	earn	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	5	5	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	8	nummod	_	_
8	hours	hour	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **earn** | present · do-support | she | much |  |  | hour |  | vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent much=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
They earn 3 points for each win.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:earn:x4:1
# text = They earn 3 points for each win.
1	They	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	earn	earn	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	points	point	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	7	det	_	_
7	win	win	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **earn** | present | They | 3 points |  |  |  | for each win | vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP PP.source»: agent=Agent point=Theme for win=Source |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I earn pocket money by washing the car.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:earn:x5:1
# text = I earn pocket money by washing the car.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	earn	earn	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	pocket	pocket	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	money	money	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
6	washing	wash	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	car	car	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **earn** | present | I | pocket money |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent money=Theme |
| 2 | **wash** | gerund | I *not said here* | the car |  |  |  |  | vn floss-41.2.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent car=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She earned a badge at Scouts.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:earn:x6:1
# text = She earned a badge at Scouts.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	earned	earn	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	badge	badge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	at	at	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	Scouts	scout	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **earn** | past | She | a badge |  | Scouts |  |  | vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP PP.source NP.asset»: agent=Agent badge=Theme at scout=Asset |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
You earn trust by telling the truth.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:earn:x7:1
# text = You earn trust by telling the truth.
1	You	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	earn	earn	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	trust	trust	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
5	telling	tell	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	truth	truth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **earn** | present | You | trust |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent trust=Theme |
| 2 | **tell** *speech: assert* | gerund | You *not said here* | the truth |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent truth=Recipient |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Money in the bank earns interest.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:earn:x8:1
# text = Money in the bank earns interest.
1	Money	money	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
2	in	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	bank	bank	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nmod	_	_
5	earns	earn	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	interest	interest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **earn** | present | Money in the bank | interest |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent interest=Theme |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
'Oh, I earned them myself,' answered he.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:earn:x9:1
# text = 'Oh, I earned them myself,' answered he.
1	'	'	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Oh	oh	INTJ	UH	_	5	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
5	earned	earn	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	obj	_	_
7	myself	myself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Emp|Reflex=Yes	5	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	'	'	PUNCT	''	_	10	punct	_	_
10	answered	answer	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
11	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **earn** | past | I | them *= they* |  |  |  | myself *obl:unmarked* | vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=Theme |
| 2 | **answer** *speech: assert* | past | I *not said here* |  | he |  |  |  | vn reciprocate-112-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent he=Eventuality |

<!-- 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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