---
title: iou — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «iou» in the school dictionary: A short written note that says you owe someone money; it stands for «I owe you» because the letters sound like those words. 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/iou/)

<!-- 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/) / iou

# iou

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** short written note, you, note, letters, I, Dad · **What happens:** write, say, owe, stand, sound, do · **To what, where:** someone money, you, something, money, IOU, sister · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A short written note that says you owe someone money; it stands for «I owe you» because the letters sound like those words.

<!-- fold The tree, 23 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:iou:m1:1
# text = A short written note that says you owe someone money; it stands for «I owe you» because the letters sound like those words.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
2	short	short	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
3	written	write	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	amod	_	_
4	note	note	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
5	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	6	nsubj	_	_
6	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	owe	owe	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	ccomp	_	_
9	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	10	compound	_	_
10	money	money	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	13	punct	_	_
12	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
13	stands	stand	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	conj	_	_
14	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	17	mark	_	_
15	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	17	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	17	nsubj	_	_
17	owe	owe	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	advcl	_	_
18	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	17	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	17	punct	_	_
20	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	23	mark	_	_
21	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
22	letters	letter	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	23	nsubj	_	_
23	sound	sound	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	advcl	_	_
24	like	like	ADP	IN	_	26	case	_	_
25	those	that	DET	DT	Number=Plur|PronType=Dem	26	det	_	_
26	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	23	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | a short written note |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **owe** | present | you | someone money |  |  |  |  | vn future\_having-13.3 «NP V NP.theme (PP)»: agent=Agent money=Theme |
| 4 | **stand** | present | note |  |  |  |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 5 | **owe** *in a quote* | present | a short written note *= note* | you |  |  |  |  | vn future\_having-13.3 «NP V NP.theme (PP)»: agent=Agent you=Theme |
| 6 | **sound** | present | the letters |  |  |  |  | like that words | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Stimulus |

<!-- .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: informal — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A promise to do something or pay back later.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:iou:m2:1
# text = A promise to do something or pay back later.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	promise	promise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	acl	_	_
5	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	4	obj	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	pay	pay	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	conj	_	_
8	back	back	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
9	later	late	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	7	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Eventuality |
| 2 | **pay back** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | late *property* | vn pay-68-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I didn't have any money, so I gave my sister an IOU for £2.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:iou:x1:1
# text = I didn't have any money, so I gave my sister an IOU for £2.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	have	have	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	6	det	_	_
6	money	money	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	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	gave	give	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	parataxis	_	_
11	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	12	nmod:poss	_	_
12	sister	sister	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	iobj	_	_
13	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	IOU	iou	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	_
15	for	for	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
16	£	£	SYM	$	_	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	2	2	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	16	nummod	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **have** | past · do-support | I | any money |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent money=Patient |
| 2 | **give** | past | I | a IOU | my sister |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP NP PP.asset»: agent=Agent sister=Recipient iou=Theme for £=Asset |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dad found an old IOU in his wallet.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:iou:x2:1
# text = Dad found an old IOU in his wallet.
1	Dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	found	find	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	IOU	iou	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	wallet	wallet	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 | **find** | past | Dad | a old IOU |  | Dad's wallet |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent iou=Topic |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The pirate's map came with an IOU for ten gold coins.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:iou:x3:1
# text = The pirate's map came with an IOU for ten gold coins.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	pirate	pirate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	map	map	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	came	come	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	IOU	iou	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
9	for	for	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	ten	ten	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	12	nummod	_	_
11	gold	gold	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	compound	_	_
12	coins	coin	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come** | past | the pirate's map |  |  |  |  | with a IOU; for ten gold coins | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My birthday card had an IOU for a trip to the cinema.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:iou:x4:1
# text = My birthday card had an IOU for a trip to the cinema.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	birthday	birthday	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	card	card	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	IOU	iou	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	trip	trip	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
10	to	to	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	cinema	cinema	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | My birthday card | a IOU |  |  |  | for a trip to the cinema | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent iou=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
If you write an IOU, you must pay it back.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:iou:x5:1
# text = If you write an IOU, you must pay it back.
1	If	if	SCONJ	IN	_	3	mark	_	_
2	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	write	write	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	advcl	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	IOU	iou	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
7	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
8	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
9	pay	pay	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
10	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obj	_	_
11	back	back	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write** *a condition, not said to happen* | present | you | a IOU |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent iou=Theme |
| 2 | **pay back** | must | you | IOU |  |  |  |  | vn pay-68-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Asset |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Tom has three IOUs from his brother for chores.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:iou:x6:1
# text = Tom has three IOUs from his brother for chores.
1	Tom	Tom	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	three	three	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	4	nummod	_	_
4	IOUs	IOUs	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	from	from	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	brother	brother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
8	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	chores	chore	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | Tom | three IOUs |  |  |  | from Tom's brother for chores | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent ious=Patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An IOU for $10 means the writer owes $10.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:iou:x7:1
# text = An IOU for $10 means the writer owes $10.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	IOU	iou	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	for	for	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	$	$	SYM	$	_	2	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	10	10	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	4	nummod	_	_
6	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	writer	writer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
9	owes	owe	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	ccomp	_	_
10	$	$	SYM	$	_	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	10	10	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	10	nummod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | a IOU |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **owe** | present | the writer |  |  |  |  |  | vn future\_having-13.3 «NP V NP.theme (PP)»: agent=Agent $=Theme |

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