---
title: enquiry — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «enquiry» in the school dictionary: A question you ask to find something out, often to a shop, office or school. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# enquiry

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** you, question, act, Mum, hotel, our · **What happens:** ask, find out, go, look, make, send · **To what, where:** question, something, facts, enquiry, leisure centre, enquiries

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A question you ask to find something out, often to a shop, office or school.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:enquiry:m1:1
# text = A question you ask to find something out, often to a shop, office or school.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	question	question	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
3	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	ask	ask	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	find	find	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	6	obj	_	_
8	out	out	ADP	RP	_	6	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
10	often	often	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
11	to	to	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	shop	shop	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
15	office	office	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	conj	_	_
16	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
17	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ask** *speech: ask* | present | you | a question |  |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V how S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **find out** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | a question *not said here* | something |  |  |  | to a shop and office or school | vn learn-14-2-1 «NP V NP»: 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}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An official look into something that went wrong, to find out the facts.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:enquiry:m2:1
# text = An official look into something that went wrong, to find out the facts.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	official	official	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	look	look	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	into	into	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	3	nmod	_	_
6	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	find	find	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	conj	_	_
12	out	out	ADP	RP	_	11	compound:prt	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	facts	fact	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go** | past |  |  |  |  |  | wrong *property* | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **find out** | to-infinitive |  | the facts |  |  |  |  | vn learn-14-2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent fact=Topic |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The act of asking or looking into things in general.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:enquiry:m3:1
# text = The act of asking or looking into things in general.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	act	act	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	4	mark	_	_
4	asking	ask	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	acl	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	looking	look	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	4	conj	_	_
7	into	into	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	general	general	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ask** *speech: ask* | gerund | the act *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **look** | gerund | the act *not said here* |  |  |  |  | in general; into things | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent into thing=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mum made an enquiry about swimming lessons at the leisure centre.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:enquiry:x1:1
# text = Mum made an enquiry about swimming lessons at the leisure centre.
1	Mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	enquiry	enquiry	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	about	about	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	swimming	swimming	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	lessons	lesson	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
8	at	at	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	leisure	leisure	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	compound	_	_
11	centre	centre	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past | Mum | a enquiry |  | the leisure centre |  | about swimming lessons | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent enquiry=Product |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Please send all enquiries to the school office.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:enquiry:x2:1
# text = Please send all enquiries to the school office.
1	Please	please	INTJ	UH	_	2	discourse	_	_
2	send	send	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	4	det	_	_
4	enquiries	enquiry	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	office	office	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **send** | imperative | you *not said here* | all enquiries |  | the school office |  |  | vn confine-92-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent enquiry=Theme to office=Destination |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The hotel thanked us for our enquiry.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:enquiry:x3:1
# text = The hotel thanked us for our enquiry.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	hotel	hotel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	thanked	thank	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	obj	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	enquiry	enquiry	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 | **thank** *speech: thank* | past | the hotel |  | us |  |  | for our enquiry | vn judgment-33.1-1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Agent we=Theme for enquiry=Attribute |
| 2 | **enquire** |  | our |  |  |  |  |  | nom enquiry «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
There will be an enquiry into why the bridge fell down.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:enquiry:x4:1
# text = There will be an enquiry into why the bridge fell down.
1	There	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	3	expl	_	_
2	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	be	be	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	enquiry	enquiry	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
6	into	into	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
7	why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	10	advmod	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	bridge	bridge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
10	fell	fall	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
11	down	down	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **be** | future | a enquiry |  |  | there |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **fall down** | past | the bridge |  |  |  |  | down *property* | vn occur-48.3 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The police are making enquiries about the stolen bike.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:enquiry:x5:1
# text = The police are making enquiries about the stolen bike.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	police	police	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	making	make	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	0	root	_	_
5	enquiries	enquiry	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
6	about	about	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	stolen	steal	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	9	amod	_	_
9	bike	bike	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | present · progressive | the police | enquiries |  |  |  | about the stolen bike | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset enquiry=Product |
| 2 | **steal** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Our science topic is based on enquiry: we ask a question and test it.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:enquiry:x6:1
# text = Our science topic is based on enquiry: we ask a question and test it.
1	Our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	science	science	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	topic	topic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	based	base	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	enquiry	enquiry	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	10	punct	_	_
9	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	ask	ask	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	parataxis	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	question	question	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	_
13	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	test	test	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	conj	_	_
15	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **base** | present · passive |  | Our science topic |  | enquiry |  |  | vn base-97.1 «NP V NP PP.source»: subject=Theme on enquiry=Source |
| 2 | **ask** *speech: ask* | present | we | a question |  |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent question=Recipient |
| 3 | **test** | infinitive | we *not said here* | question |  |  |  |  | vn assessment-34.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I have a quick enquiry about the homework.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:enquiry:x7:1
# text = I have a quick enquiry about the homework.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	have	have	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	quick	quick	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	enquiry	enquiry	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	about	about	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	homework	homework	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The enquiries desk is next to the main door.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:enquiry:x8:1
# text = The enquiries desk is next to the main door.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	enquiries	enquiry	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	compound	_	_
3	desk	desk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
5	next	next	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
6	to	to	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	main	main	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	door	door	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | the enquiries desk |  |  |  |  | to the main door; next *property* | 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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