---
title: foster — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «foster» in the school dictionary: To look after a child for a time in your own home when the child's own family cannot care for them. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/foster/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/) / [school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/) / [F](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/) / foster

# foster

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** own family, animal, something, friend, We, kittens · **What happens:** look, not care, find, help, grow, develop · **To what, where:** new home, something, love, reading, three kittens, homes

<!-- .vabout -->
«foster» in the school dictionary: its 4 meanings for a pupil and its 7 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: [foster in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/foster.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To look after a child for a time in your own home when the child's own family cannot care for them.

<!-- fold The tree, 23 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:foster:m1:1
# text = To look after a child for a time in your own home when the child's own family cannot care for them.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	look	look	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	after	after	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	child	child	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	12	nmod:poss	_	_
11	own	own	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	home	home	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
13	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	21	mark	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	child	child	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	's	's	PART	POS	_	15	case	_	_
17	own	own	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
18	family	family	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	nsubj	_	_
19	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	21	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	21	advmod	_	_
21	care	care	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
22	for	for	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
23	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	21	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  | after a child; time | in your own home | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent in home=Theme |
| 2 | **not** **care** | can | the child's own family |  |  |  |  | for them *= they* | vn caring-75.2-2 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent for they=Theme |

<!-- .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 look after an animal for a time until it finds a new home.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:foster:m2:1
# text = To look after an animal for a time until it finds a new home.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	look	look	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	advcl	_	_
3	after	after	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	animal	animal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
9	until	until	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
10	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
11	finds	find	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	home	home	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** | to-infinitive | animal *not said here* |  |  |  | after a animal; time |  | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Stimulus |
| 2 | **find** | present | animal | a new home |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent home=Topic |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To help something grow or develop: «foster a love of reading».

<!-- fold The tree, 11 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:foster:m3:1
# text = To help something grow or develop: «foster a love of reading».
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	help	help	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	grow	grow	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	develop	develop	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	9	punct	_	_
8	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	foster	foster	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	love	love	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
12	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	reading	reading	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **help** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent something=Beneficiary clause=Theme |
| 2 | **grow** | infinitive | something *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **develop** | infinitive | something *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **foster** *in a quote* | infinitive |  | a love of reading |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 5 | **love** *in a quote* |  |  | reading |  |  |  |  | nom love «feeling transitive»: of=patient |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Connected with fostering: «foster parent», «foster child», «foster family».

<!-- fold The tree, 9 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:foster:m4:1
# text = Connected with fostering: «foster parent», «foster child», «foster family».
1	Connected	connect	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
2	with	with	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	fostering	fostering	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	7	punct	_	_
5	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	foster	foster	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	parent	parent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
10	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	foster	foster	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	compound	_	_
12	child	child	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
15	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	17	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	foster	foster	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	compound	_	_
17	family	family	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	17	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **connect** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | with fostering and foster parent and foster child and foster family | vn mix-22.1-2-1 «NP V PP.patient»: agent=Patient with fostering=Co-Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My friend lives with her foster parents.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:foster:x1:1
# text = My friend lives with her foster parents.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	friend	friend	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	lives	live	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
6	foster	foster	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	parents	parent	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **live** | present | My friend |  |  |  |  | with friend's foster parents | vn lodge-46 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme with parent=Location |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We fostered three kittens until they found homes.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:foster:x2:1
# text = We fostered three kittens until they found homes.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	fostered	foster	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	three	three	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	4	nummod	_	_
4	kittens	kitten	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	until	until	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
6	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	found	find	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	_
8	homes	home	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **foster** | past | We | three kittens |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **find** | past | kittens *= kitten* | homes |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent home=Topic |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Some children stay in foster care for a few months.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:foster:x3:1
# text = Some children stay in foster care for a few months.
1	Some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	2	det	_	_
2	children	child	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	stay	stay	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	foster	foster	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	care	care	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	for	for	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	few	few	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	months	month	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stay** | present | some children |  |  | foster care | month |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in care=Location |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A good teacher fosters curiosity.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:foster:x4:1
# text = A good teacher fosters curiosity.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	fosters	foster	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	curiosity	curiosity	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **foster** | present | a good teacher | curiosity |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Our foster dog is learning to walk on a lead.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:foster:x5:1
# text = Our foster dog is learning to walk on a lead.
1	Our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	foster	foster	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	learning	learn	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	walk	walk	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	xcomp	_	_
8	on	on	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	lead	lead	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **learn** | present · progressive | Our foster dog |  |  |  |  |  | vn learn-14-2-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **walk** | to-infinitive | Our foster dog *not said here* |  |  | a lead |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme on lead=Trajectory |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Foster carers give children a safe, loving home.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:foster:x6:1
# text = Foster carers give children a safe, loving home.
1	Foster	foster	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	carers	carer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	give	give	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	children	child	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	iobj	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	safe	safe	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
8	loving	love	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	advcl	_	_
9	home	home	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | present | Foster carers |  | children |  |  | safe *property* | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent child=Theme |
| 2 | **love** | gerund | Foster carers *not said here* |  |  |  |  | home *property* | vn admire-31.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Experiencer |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Jurgen and his foster parents went past this castle.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:foster:x7:1
# text = Jurgen and his foster parents went past this castle.
1	Jurgen	Jurgen	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
2	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
3	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
4	foster	foster	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	parents	parent	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	conj	_	_
6	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	past	past	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	9	det	_	_
9	castle	castle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go** | past | Jurgen and his foster parents |  |  | this castle |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme past castle=Initial\_Location |

<!-- 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 -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [fossilised](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fossilised/)
- next →: [fosterling](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fosterling/)
- ↑ back to [F in school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/)