---
title: inflection — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «inflection» in the school dictionary: A change in the form of a word, usually its ending, to show tense, number, person and so on: «-s», «-ed», «-ing», «-er», «-est». 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/I/inflection/)

<!-- 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/) / [I](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/) / inflection

# inflection

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** change, rise, voice, point, curve, ed inflection · **What happens:** show, form, end, speak, rise, be · **To what, where:** tense, word, inflection, way, past, plural inflection · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A change in the form of a word, usually its ending, to show tense, number, person and so on: «-s», «-ed», «-ing», «-er», «-est».

<!-- fold The tree, 24 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:inflection:m1:1
# text = A change in the form of a word, usually its ending, to show tense, number, person and so on: «-s», «-ed», «-ing», «-er», «-est».
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	change	change	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nsubj	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	form	form	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
10	usually	usually	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
11	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	12	nmod:poss	_	_
12	ending	ending	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
14	to	to	PART	TO	_	15	mark	_	_
15	show	show	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
16	tense	tense	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
18	number	number	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	20	punct	_	_
20	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	conj	_	_
21	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	23	cc	_	_
22	so	so	ADV	RB	_	23	advmod	_	_
23	on	on	ADP	IN	_	15	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	26	punct	_	_
25	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	26	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	-s	-	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	15	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	26	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	31	punct	_	_
29	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	31	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
30	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	31	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
31	ed	ed	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	26	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
32	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	31	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
33	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	36	punct	_	_
34	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	36	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
35	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	36	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
36	ing	ing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	31	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
37	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	36	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
38	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	41	punct	_	_
39	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	41	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
40	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	41	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
41	er	er	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	26	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
42	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	41	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
43	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	46	punct	_	_
44	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	46	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
45	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	46	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
46	est	est	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	26	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
47	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	46	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
48	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	15	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **show** | to-infinitive | a change in the form of a word | tense and number and person |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent tense=Recipient -=Topic |
| 2 | **form** |  |  | a word |  |  |  |  | nom form «communication transitive»: of=patient |
| 3 | **end** |  | change |  |  |  |  |  | nom ending «communication transitive»: poss=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 -->
The rise and fall of the voice when speaking: the inflection of a question.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:inflection:m2:1
# text = The rise and fall of the voice when speaking: the inflection of a question.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	rise	rise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
3	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	fall	fall	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	voice	voice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
8	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	9	advmod	_	_
9	speaking	speak	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	12	punct	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	inflection	inflection	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
13	of	of	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	question	question	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **speak** *speech: other* | gerund | the rise of the voice and fall | the inflection of a question |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **rise** |  | the voice |  |  |  |  |  | nom rise «event intransitive»: of=agent |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A point of inflection is where a curve changes the way it bends.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:inflection:m3:1
# text = A point of inflection is where a curve changes the way it bends.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	point	point	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	inflection	inflection	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
6	where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	0	root	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	curve	curve	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
9	changes	change	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	advcl:relcl	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
12	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
13	bends	bend	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | a point of inflection |  |  |  |  | where *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **change** | present | a curve | the way |  |  |  |  | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent way=Patient |
| 3 | **bend** | present | curve | the way *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn knead-26.5 «NP V NP.material»: agent=Agent way=Material |
| 4 | **point** |  |  | inflection |  |  |  |  | nom point «cognition transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The «-ed» inflection shows that an action happened in the past.

<!-- fold The tree, 11 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:inflection:x1:1
# text = The «-ed» inflection shows that an action happened in the past.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
2	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	ed	ed	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
6	inflection	inflection	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	shows	show	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
9	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	action	action	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
11	happened	happen	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	ccomp	_	_
12	in	in	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	past	past	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **show** | present | the ed inflection |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **happen** | past | a action |  |  | the past |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Theme in past=Location |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Add the plural inflection «-s» to «dog» to get «dogs».

<!-- fold The tree, 10 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:inflection:x2:1
# text = Add the plural inflection «-s» to «dog» to get «dogs».
1	Add	add	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	plural	plural	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	inflection	inflection	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
5	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	-s	-	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	_
8	to	to	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	_
12	to	to	PART	TO	_	13	mark	_	_
13	get	get	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	advcl	_	_
14	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	dogs	dog	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **add** *speech: assert* | imperative | you *not said here* | the plural inflection |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **get** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* | dogs |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer dog=Stimulus |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Her voice had a rising inflection, so I knew it was a question.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:inflection:x3:1
# text = Her voice had a rising inflection, so I knew it was a question.
1	Her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	voice	voice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	rising	rise	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	6	amod	_	_
6	inflection	inflection	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
8	so	so	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
9	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	knew	know	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	parataxis	_	_
11	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
12	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	14	cop	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	question	question	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | Her voice | a rising inflection |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent inflection=Patient |
| 2 | **rise** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **know** | past | I |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 4 | **is a** | past | voice | a question |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Read your poem with more inflection so it isn't boring.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:inflection:x4:1
# text = Read your poem with more inflection so it isn't boring.
1	Read	read	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
3	poem	poem	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	6	amod	_	_
6	inflection	inflection	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
7	so	so	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	11	advmod	_	_
11	boring	boring	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **read** | imperative | you *not said here* | your poem |  |  |  | with more inflection | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent poem=Topic |
| 2 | **not** **is** | present | poem |  |  |  |  | boring *property* | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
English has fewer inflections than Latin.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:inflection:x5:1
# text = English has fewer inflections than Latin.
1	English	English	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	fewer	few	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	4	amod	_	_
4	inflections	inflection	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	than	than	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	Latin	Latin	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | English | fewer inflections |  |  |  | than Latin | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent inflection=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The curve has a point of inflection in the middle.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:inflection:x6:1
# text = The curve has a point of inflection in the middle.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	curve	curve	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	point	point	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	inflection	inflection	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	middle	middle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | the curve | a point of inflection in the middle |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent point=Patient |
| 2 | **point** |  |  | inflection in the middle |  |  |  |  | nom point «cognition transitive»: of=patient |

<!-- 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: [inflected](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/inflected/)
- next →: [inflectional](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/inflectional/)
- ↑ back to [I in school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/)