---
title: literacy — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «literacy» in the school dictionary: Literacy is the ability to read and write. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# literacy

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**Who acts:** Literacy, We, people, class, Financial literacy, charity · **What happens:** be, read, write, have, help, get · **To what, where:** ability, Literacy knowledge, certain area, literacy, people, good jobs

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«literacy» 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: [literacy in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/literacy.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Literacy is the ability to read and write.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:literacy:m1:1
# text = Literacy is the ability to read and write.
1	Literacy	literacy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	ability	ability	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	read	read	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	acl	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	write	write	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Literacy | the ability |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **read** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **write** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V»: 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 -->
Literacy is knowledge and skill in a certain area, such as computer literacy, money literacy or media literacy.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:literacy:m2:1
# text = Literacy is knowledge and skill in a certain area, such as computer literacy, money literacy or media literacy.
1	Literacy	literacy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	knowledge	knowledge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	skill	skill	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	certain	certain	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	area	area	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
11	such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|ExtPos=ADP	14	case	_	_
12	as	as	ADP	IN	_	11	fixed	_	_
13	computer	computer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	compound	_	_
14	literacy	literacy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
16	money	money	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	compound	_	_
17	literacy	literacy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	conj	_	_
18	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
19	media	media	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	conj	_	_
20	literacy	literacy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present |  | Literacy knowledge and skill |  | a certain area and computer literacy and money literacy or media and literacy |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We have literacy every morning.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:literacy:x1:1
# text = We have literacy every morning.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	have	have	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	literacy	literacy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	5	det	_	_
5	morning	morning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Literacy helps people get good jobs.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:literacy:x2:1
# text = Literacy helps people get good jobs.
1	Literacy	literacy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	helps	help	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
4	get	get	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
5	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	jobs	job	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **help** | present | Literacy | people |  |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent people=Beneficiary clause=Theme |
| 2 | **get** | infinitive | people *not said here* | good jobs |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer job=Stimulus |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Our class learns media literacy to spot fake news.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:literacy:x3:1
# text = Our class learns media literacy to spot fake news.
1	Our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	class	class	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	learns	learn	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	media	media	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	literacy	literacy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	spot	spot	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
8	fake	fake	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	news	news	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **learn** | present | Our class | media literacy |  |  |  |  | vn learn-14-2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent literacy=Topic |
| 2 | **spot** | to-infinitive | Our class *not said here* | fake news |  |  |  |  | vn fill-9.8-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme news=Destination |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Financial literacy means understanding money.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:literacy:x4:1
# text = Financial literacy means understanding money.
1	Financial	financial	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	literacy	literacy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	understanding	understand	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	3	xcomp	_	_
5	money	money	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Financial literacy |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **understand** *not said to happen* | gerund | Financial literacy *not said here* | money |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Experiencer money=Stimulus |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The charity improves literacy in poor areas.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:literacy:x5:1
# text = The charity improves literacy in poor areas.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	charity	charity	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	improves	improve	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	literacy	literacy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	poor	poor	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	areas	area	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **improve** | present | the charity | literacy |  | poor areas |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent literacy=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Digital literacy means using computers safely and well.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:literacy:x6:1
# text = Digital literacy means using computers safely and well.
1	Digital	digital	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	literacy	literacy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	using	use	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	3	xcomp	_	_
5	computers	computer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
6	safely	safely	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	well	well	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Digital literacy |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **use** *not said to happen* | gerund | Digital literacy *not said here* | computers |  |  |  | safely *property* | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent computer=Patient |

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**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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