---
title: instruct — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «instruct» in the school dictionary: To instruct someone is to tell them what they must do, especially officially or with authority. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# instruct

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** they, teacher, coach, you, pilot, Firefighters · **What happens:** instruct, be, do, work, line up, pass · **To what, where:** someone, them, lawyer, us, team, ball · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To instruct someone is to tell them what they must do, especially officially or with authority.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:instruct:m1:1
# text = To instruct someone is to tell them what they must do, especially officially or with authority.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	instruct	instruct	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
3	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	tell	tell	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	iobj	_	_
8	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	11	obj	_	_
9	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
10	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
11	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
13	especially	especially	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	_
14	officially	officially	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
15	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
16	with	with	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
17	authority	authority	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **instruct** *speech: other* | to-infinitive |  |  | someone |  |  |  | vn advise-37.9-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent someone=Recipient |
| 2 | **be** *speech: assert* | present |  |  | them *= they* |  |  | tell *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **do** | must | they |  |  |  |  | officially *property* | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent what=Eventuality |

<!-- .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 instruct someone is to teach them a skill.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:instruct:m2:1
# text = To instruct someone is to teach them a skill.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	instruct	instruct	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
3	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	teach	teach	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	iobj	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	skill	skill	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **instruct** *speech: other* | to-infinitive |  |  | someone |  |  |  | vn advise-37.9-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent someone=Recipient |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  | them *= they* |  |  | teach *property* | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To instruct a lawyer is to hire them to work for you.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:instruct:m3:1
# text = To instruct a lawyer is to hire them to work for you.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	instruct	instruct	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	advcl	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	lawyer	lawyer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	hire	hire	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	work	work	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	advcl	_	_
11	for	for	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **instruct** *speech: other* | to-infinitive |  |  | a lawyer |  |  |  | vn advise-37.9-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent lawyer=Recipient |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | hire *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **work** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | for you | vn employment-95.3 «NP V PP.beneficiary»: agent=Agent for you=Beneficiary |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The teacher instructed us to line up quietly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:instruct:x1:1
# text = The teacher instructed us to line up quietly.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	instructed	instruct	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	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	line	line	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
7	up	up	ADP	RP	_	6	compound:prt	_	_
8	quietly	quietly	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **instruct** *speech: other* | past | the teacher | us |  |  |  |  | vn advise-37.9-1 «NP V NP how S\_INF»: agent=Agent we=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 2 | **line up** | to-infinitive | the teacher *not said here* |  |  |  |  | quietly *property* | vn fill-9.8-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The coach instructed the team in how to pass the ball.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:instruct:x2:1
# text = The coach instructed the team in how to pass the ball.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	coach	coach	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	instructed	instruct	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	team	team	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	in	in	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
7	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	9	advmod	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	pass	pass	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	ball	ball	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **instruct** *speech: other* | past | the coach | the team |  |  |  |  | vn advise-37.9-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent team=Recipient |
| 2 | **pass** | to-infinitive | the coach *not said here* | the ball |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1-3 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme ball=Trajectory |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Follow the steps as instructed.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:instruct:x3:1
# text = Follow the steps as instructed.
1	Follow	follow	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	steps	step	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obj	_	_
4	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
5	instructed	instruct	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	1	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **follow** | imperative | you *not said here* | the steps |  |  |  |  | vn chase-51.6 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent step=Theme |
| 2 | **instruct** *speech: other* | participle | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn advise-37.9-1 «NP V PP.topic»: agent=Agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The pilot instructed passengers to fasten their seat belts.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:instruct:x4:1
# text = The pilot instructed passengers to fasten their seat belts.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	pilot	pilot	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	instructed	instruct	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	passengers	passenger	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	fasten	fasten	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
7	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
8	seat	seat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	belts	belt	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **instruct** *speech: other* | past | the pilot | passengers |  |  |  |  | vn advise-37.9-1 «NP V NP how S\_INF»: agent=Agent passenger=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 2 | **fasten** | to-infinitive | the pilot *not said here* | passengers's seat belts |  |  |  |  | vn shake-22.3-2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent belt=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Firefighters instructed everyone to leave the building.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:instruct:x5:1
# text = Firefighters instructed everyone to leave the building.
1	Firefighters	firefighter	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	instructed	instruct	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	everyone	everyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	2	obj	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	leave	leave	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	building	building	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **instruct** *speech: other* | past | Firefighters | everyone |  |  |  |  | vn advise-37.9-1 «NP V NP how S\_INF»: agent=Agent everyone=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 2 | **leave** | to-infinitive | Firefighters *not said here* | the building |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent building=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She instructs children in swimming at the local pool.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:instruct:x6:1
# text = She instructs children in swimming at the local pool.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	instructs	instruct	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	children	child	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	swimming	swimming	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	at	at	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	local	local	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	pool	pool	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **instruct** *speech: other* | present | She |  | children | swimming |  | at the local pool | vn advise-37.9-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent child=Recipient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The recipe instructs you to bake the cake for 30 minutes.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:instruct:x7:1
# text = The recipe instructs you to bake the cake for 30 minutes.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	recipe	recipe	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	instructs	instruct	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	obj	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	bake	bake	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	cake	cake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	for	for	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	30	30	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	11	nummod	_	_
11	minutes	minute	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **instruct** *speech: other* | present | the recipe | you |  |  |  |  | vn advise-37.9-1 «NP V NP how S\_INF»: agent=Agent you=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 2 | **bake** | to-infinitive | the recipe *not said here* | the cake |  |  | minute |  | vn build-26.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent cake=Product |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Then her aunt instructed her what to do.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:instruct:x8:1
# text = Then her aunt instructed her what to do.
1	Then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	4	advmod	_	_
2	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
3	aunt	aunt	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	instructed	instruct	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	obj	_	_
6	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	8	obj	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **instruct** *speech: other* | past | her aunt | her *= she* |  |  | then |  | vn advise-37.9-1 «NP V NP how S\_INF»: agent=Agent she=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 2 | **do** | to-infinitive | her aunt *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent what=Eventuality |

<!-- 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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