---
title: ell — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «ell» in the school dictionary: The name of the letter L. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# ell

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** merchant, ell, they, Granny, farmhouse, you · **What happens:** name, use, measure, make, sell, be · **To what, where:** letter, old measure, England, length, L shape, three ells · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«ell» in the school dictionary: its 3 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: [ell in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/ell.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The name of the letter L.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ell:m1:1
# text = The name of the letter L.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	name	name	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	letter	letter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	L.	L.	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	appos	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **name** |  |  | the letter |  |  |  |  | nom name «communication transitive»: of=patient |

<!-- .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 -->
An old measure of length, about the length of an arm, used for cloth (in England about 45 inches, a little over a metre).

<!-- fold The tree, 24 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ell:m2:1
# text = An old measure of length, about the length of an arm, used for cloth (in England about 45 inches, a little over a metre).
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	measure	measure	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	length	length	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
7	about	about	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	length	length	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	arm	arm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
14	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	acl	_	_
15	for	for	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
16	cloth	cloth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	_
17	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	19	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	in	in	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
19	England	England	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	_
20	about	about	ADV	RB	_	21	advmod	_	_
21	45	45	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	22	nummod	_	_
22	inches	inch	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	19	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	25	punct	_	_
24	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	25	det	_	_
25	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	19	conj	_	_
26	over	over	ADP	IN	_	28	case	_	_
27	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	28	det	_	_
28	metre	metre	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	25	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	19	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
30	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | participle |  | a old measure of length and the length of a arm *not said here* |  | England and 45 inches |  | for cloth | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **measure** |  |  | length |  |  |  |  | nom measure «act transitive»: of=patient |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: USA — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An extension of a building at a right angle, making an L shape.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ell:m3:1
# text = An extension of a building at a right angle, making an L shape.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	extension	extension	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	building	building	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	at	at	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	right	right	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	angle	angle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
11	making	make	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	conj	_	_
12	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	L	l	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	shape	shape	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | gerund |  | a L shape |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset shape=Product |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The merchant sold three ells of cloth.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ell:x1:1
# text = The merchant sold three ells of cloth.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	merchant	merchant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	sold	sell	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	three	three	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	ells	ell	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	cloth	cloth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sell** | past | the merchant | three ells of cloth |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent ell=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An ell was about the length of a man's arm.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ell:x2:1
# text = An ell was about the length of a man's arm.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	ell	ell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	about	about	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	length	length	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	's	's	PART	POS	_	9	case	_	_
11	arm	arm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | a ell |  |  |  |  | about the length; of a man's arm | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Give them an inch and they'll take an ell,» said Granny.

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ell:x3:1
# text = «Give them an inch and they'll take an ell,» said Granny.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Give	give	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	14	ccomp	_	_
3	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	iobj	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	inch	inch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
7	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	'll	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
9	take	take	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	conj	_	_
10	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	ell	ell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
14	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
15	Granny	Granny	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	14	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	14	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** *in a quote* | infinitive |  | a inch | them *= they* |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent they=Recipient inch=Theme |
| 2 | **take** *in a quote* | future | they | a ell |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent ell=Theme |
| 3 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | Granny |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The farmhouse has an ell at the back.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ell:x4:1
# text = The farmhouse has an ell at the back.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	farmhouse	farmhouse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	ell	ell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	at	at	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	back	back	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | the farmhouse | a ell |  | the back |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent ell=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Write a small ell and a capital ell.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ell:x5:1
# text = Write a small ell and a capital ell.
1	Write	write	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	ell	ell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	capital	capital	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	ell	ell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write** | imperative | you *not said here* | a small ell and a capital ell |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent ell=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
As they came nearer they could see it was a dwarf, with a shrivelled-up face and a snow-white beard an ell long.

<!-- fold The tree, 24 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ell:x6:1
# text = As they came nearer they could see it was a dwarf, with a shrivelled-up face and a snow-white beard an ell long.
1	As	as	SCONJ	IN	_	3	mark	_	_
2	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	came	come	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	advcl	_	_
4	nearer	near	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	3	advmod	_	_
5	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
6	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
7	see	see	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
9	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	dwarf	dwarf	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
13	with	with	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
15	shrivelled	shrivell	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	18	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	17	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	up	up	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	compound	_	_
18	face	face	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
19	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	24	cc	_	_
20	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	24	det	_	_
21	snow	snow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	23	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	21	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	white	white	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	24	amod	_	_
24	beard	beard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	conj	_	_
25	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	26	det	_	_
26	ell	ell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	27	obl:unmarked	_	_
27	long	long	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	24	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come** | past | they |  |  |  |  | near *property* | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **see** | could | they |  |  |  |  | with a shrivelled face and a white beard | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 3 | **is** | past | it |  |  |  |  | dwarf *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **shrivell** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | 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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