---
title: lipogram — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «lipogram» in the school dictionary: A piece of writing in which one letter of the alphabet is never used on purpose, for example a story with no letter "e". Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# lipogram

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** teacher, I, am, Writing, you, lipogram · **What happens:** not use, letter, ask, write, be, run · **To what, where:** piece, purpose, alphabet, us, lipogram, a · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A piece of writing in which one letter of the alphabet is never used on purpose, for example a story with no letter "e".

<!-- fold The tree, 24 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:lipogram:m1:1
# text = A piece of writing in which one letter of the alphabet is never used on purpose, for example a story with no letter "e".
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	piece	piece	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	writing	writing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	8	obl	_	_
7	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	8	nummod	_	_
8	letter	letter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	alphabet	alphabet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	_
12	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	aux:pass	_	_
13	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	14	advmod	_	_
14	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
15	on	on	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
16	purpose	purpose	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
18	for	for	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
19	example	example	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	_
20	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
21	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	appos	_	_
22	with	with	ADP	IN	_	24	case	_	_
23	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	24	det	_	_
24	letter	letter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	nmod	_	_
25	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	26	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	e	e	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	24	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	26	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	14	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **use** | present · passive |  | a piece of writing |  | purpose |  | for example | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP PP.predicate»: subject=Theme for example=Eventuality |
| 2 | **letter** |  |  | the alphabet |  |  |  |  | nom letter «communication transitive»: of=patient |

<!-- .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.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Our teacher asked us to write a lipogram without the letter "a".

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:lipogram:x1:1
# text = Our teacher asked us to write a lipogram without the letter "a".
1	Our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	asked	ask	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	iobj	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	write	write	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	lipogram	lipogram	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	without	without	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	letter	letter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
12	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ask** *speech: ask* | past | Our teacher |  | us |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V NP whether S\_INF»: agent=Agent we=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 2 | **write** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | Our teacher *not said here* | a lipogram |  |  |  | without the letter | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent lipogram=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"I am big, I can run" is not a lipogram without "a", because "am" has an "a".

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:lipogram:x2:1
# text = "I am big, I can run" is not a lipogram without "a", because "am" has an "a".
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
3	am	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
6	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
7	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
8	run	run	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	13	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	8	punct	_	_
10	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
11	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	13	advmod	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	lipogram	lipogram	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
14	without	without	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	23	punct	_	_
19	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	23	mark	_	_
20	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	21	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	am	a.m.	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	23	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	21	punct	_	_
23	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	parataxis	_	_
24	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	26	reparandum	_	_
25	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	26	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	23	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	23	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** *in a quote* | present | I |  |  |  |  | without a; big *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **run** *in a quote* | can | I |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **not** **is a** | present |  | a lipogram |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **have** | present | am | a |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent a=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A whole French novel was written as a lipogram with no letter "e".

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:lipogram:x3:1
# text = A whole French novel was written as a lipogram with no letter "e".
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
2	whole	whole	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
3	French	French	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	novel	novel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj:pass	_	_
5	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux:pass	_	_
6	written	write	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
7	as	as	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	lipogram	lipogram	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
10	with	with	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	12	det	_	_
12	letter	letter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	_
13	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	e	e	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write** | past · passive |  | a whole French novel |  |  |  | as a lipogram with no letter | vn create-26.4-1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: subject=Result as lipogram=Attribute |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Writing a lipogram makes you think hard about words.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:lipogram:x4:1
# text = Writing a lipogram makes you think hard about words.
1	Writing	write	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	4	csubj	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	lipogram	lipogram	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	makes	make	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	4	obj	_	_
6	think	think	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	hard	hard	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	6	advmod	_	_
8	about	about	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write** | gerund |  | a lipogram |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent lipogram=Theme |
| 2 | **make** | present | Writing | you |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **think** *speech: other* | infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | about words; hard *property* | vn focus-87.1-1 «NP V PP.topic»: agent=Agent about word=Topic |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Can you spot which letter this lipogram leaves out?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:lipogram:x5:1
# text = Can you spot which letter this lipogram leaves out?
1	Can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
2	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	spot	spot	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	which	which	DET	WDT	PronType=Int	5	det	_	_
5	letter	letter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	7	det	_	_
7	lipogram	lipogram	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
8	leaves	leave	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
9	out	out	ADP	RP	_	8	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **spot** | can | you | which letter |  |  |  |  | vn fill-9.8-1 «NP V NP.destination»: agent=Agent letter=Destination |
| 2 | **leave out** | present | this lipogram | which letter *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn neglect-75.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent letter=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My lipogram about a cat had no "t", so I called it a "kitty-cuddly animal"… oops, that has a "t"!

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:lipogram:x6:1
# text = My lipogram about a cat had no "t", so I called it a "kitty-cuddly animal"… oops, that has a "t"!
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	lipogram	lipogram	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	about	about	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	cat	cat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	9	det	_	_
8	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	t	t	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
12	so	so	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	_
13	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
14	called	call	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	parataxis	_	_
15	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	obj	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
17	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	21	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	kitty	kitty	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	cuddly	cuddly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	21	amod	_	_
21	animal	animal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	21	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	…	…	PUNCT	:	_	24	punct	_	_
24	oops	oop	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	21	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	27	punct	_	_
26	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	27	nsubj	_	_
27	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	24	acl:relcl	_	_
28	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	30	det	_	_
29	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	30	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
30	t	t	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	27	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
31	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	30	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
32	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | My lipogram about a cat | no t |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent t=Patient |
| 2 | **call** | past | I | t |  |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent it=Recipient |
| 3 | **have** | present | oops | a t |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent t=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 -->

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