---
title: inattentive — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «inattentive» in the school dictionary: Not paying attention; not listening or watching carefully. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# inattentive

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** someone, inattentive guard, prisoner, I, inattentive driver, waiter · **What happens:** not pay, not listen, watch, not give, think, need · **To what, where:** attention, enough care, roads, homework instructions, accident, drinks

<!-- .vabout -->
«inattentive» in the school dictionary: its 2 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: [inattentive in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/inattentive.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Not paying attention; not listening or watching carefully.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:inattentive:m1:1
# text = Not paying attention; not listening or watching carefully.
1	Not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	2	advmod	_	_
2	paying	pay	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
3	attention	attention	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
5	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	6	advmod	_	_
6	listening	listen	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	conj	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	watching	watch	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	6	conj	_	_
9	carefully	carefully	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **pay** | gerund |  | attention |  |  |  |  | vn pay-68-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent attention=Asset |
| 2 | **not** **listen** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **watch** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | carefully *property* | vn search-35.2 «NP V PP.location»: 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 -->
Not giving enough care or thought to someone's needs: an inattentive host.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:inattentive:m2:1
# text = Not giving enough care or thought to someone's needs: an inattentive host.
1	Not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	2	advmod	_	_
2	giving	give	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
3	enough	enough	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	care	care	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	thought	think	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	conj	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	10	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	's	's	PART	POS	_	8	case	_	_
10	needs	need	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	14	punct	_	_
12	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	inattentive	inattentive	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	host	host	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **give** | gerund |  | enough care |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent care=Theme |
| 2 | **think** *speech: other* | participle |  |  |  |  |  | to someone's needs and a inattentive host | vn focus-87.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **need** |  | someone |  |  |  |  |  | nom need «state transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The inattentive guard was asleep when the prisoner escaped.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:inattentive:x1:1
# text = The inattentive guard was asleep when the prisoner escaped.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	inattentive	inattentive	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	guard	guard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	asleep	asleep	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
6	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	9	advmod	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	prisoner	prisoner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
9	escaped	escape	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the inattentive guard |  |  |  |  | asleep *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **escape** | past | the prisoner |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Being inattentive near roads is dangerous.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:inattentive:x2:1
# text = Being inattentive near roads is dangerous.
1	Being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	cop	_	_
2	inattentive	inattentive	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	csubj	_	_
3	near	near	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	roads	road	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
6	dangerous	dangerous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | gerund |  |  |  | roads |  | inattentive *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | dangerous *property* | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I was inattentive and missed the homework instructions.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:inattentive:x3:1
# text = I was inattentive and missed the homework instructions.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	inattentive	inattentive	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	missed	miss	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	homework	homework	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	instructions	instruction	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | I |  |  |  |  | inattentive *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **miss** | past | I *not said here* | the homework instructions |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer instruction=Stimulus |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An inattentive driver can cause an accident.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:inattentive:x4:1
# text = An inattentive driver can cause an accident.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	inattentive	inattentive	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	driver	driver	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	cause	cause	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	accident	accident	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cause** | can | a inattentive driver | a accident |  |  |  |  | vn engender-27.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Precondition accident=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The waiter was inattentive and forgot our drinks.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:inattentive:x5:1
# text = The waiter was inattentive and forgot our drinks.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	waiter	waiter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	inattentive	inattentive	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	forgot	forget	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
7	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	drinks	drink	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the waiter |  |  |  |  | inattentive *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **forget** | past | the waiter *not said here* | our drinks |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Tiredness can make you inattentive in lessons.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:inattentive:x6:1
# text = Tiredness can make you inattentive in lessons.
1	Tiredness	tiredness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	obj	_	_
5	inattentive	inattentive	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	xcomp	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	lessons	lesson	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

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

<!-- 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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