---
title: novice — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «novice» in the school dictionary: A novice is a beginner: someone who is new to an activity and has little skill or experience yet. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# novice

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** novice, person, nuns, novice event, I, novice skiers · **What happens:** be, have, join, train, make, promise · **To what, where:** beginner, little skill, person, religious community, final promises, sport

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A novice is a beginner: someone who is new to an activity and has little skill or experience yet.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:novice:m1:1
# text = A novice is a beginner: someone who is new to an activity and has little skill or experience yet.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	novice	novice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	beginner	beginner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	7	punct	_	_
7	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	5	appos	_	_
8	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	10	nsubj	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
10	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	acl:relcl	_	_
11	to	to	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	activity	activity	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	_
14	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
15	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	conj	_	_
16	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	amod	_	_
17	skill	skill	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obj	_	_
18	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
19	experience	experience	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	conj	_	_
20	yet	yet	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a novice | a beginner |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | to a activity; new *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **have** | present |  | little skill or experience |  |  | yet |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent skill=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.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A novice is a person who has joined a religious community, such as monks or nuns, and is training before making their final promises.

<!-- fold The tree, 24 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:novice:m2:1
# text = A novice is a person who has joined a religious community, such as monks or nuns, and is training before making their final promises.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	novice	novice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	8	nsubj	_	_
7	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
8	joined	join	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	5	acl:relcl	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	religious	religious	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	community	community	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
13	such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|ExtPos=ADP	15	case	_	_
14	as	as	ADP	IN	_	13	fixed	_	_
15	monks	monk	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	appos	_	_
16	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
17	nuns	nun	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	15	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
19	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	21	cc	_	_
20	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	21	aux	_	_
21	training	train	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	acl	_	_
22	before	before	SCONJ	IN	_	23	mark	_	_
23	making	make	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	21	advcl	_	_
24	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	26	nmod:poss	_	_
25	final	final	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	26	amod	_	_
26	promises	promise	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	23	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a novice | a person |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **join** | present · perfect | a person | a religious community |  |  |  |  | vn mix-22.1-2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent community=Patient |
| 3 | **train** | present · progressive | a person *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn hire-13.5.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **make** | gerund | a person *not said here* | nuns's final promises |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset promise=Product |
| 5 | **promise** |  | nuns *= nun* |  |  |  |  |  | nom promise «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In sport and competitions, a novice event or class is for beginners.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:novice:m3:1
# text = In sport and competitions, a novice event or class is for beginners.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	sport	sport	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	_
3	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	competitions	competition	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	novice	novice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	event	event	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nsubj	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	class	class	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	conj	_	_
11	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
12	for	for	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	beginners	beginner	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	13	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | a novice event or class |  |  | sport and competitions |  | for beginners | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I am a complete novice at chess, so please explain the rules.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:novice:x1:1
# text = I am a complete novice at chess, so please explain the rules.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
2	am	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	complete	complete	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	novice	novice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	at	at	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	chess	chess	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
9	so	so	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
10	please	please	INTJ	UH	_	11	discourse	_	_
11	explain	explain	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	5	parataxis	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	rules	rule	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | I | a complete novice |  | chess |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **explain** *speech: assert* | infinitive |  | the rules |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent rule=Topic |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The novice skiers practised on the gentle slope.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:novice:x2:1
# text = The novice skiers practised on the gentle slope.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	novice	novice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	skiers	skier	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	practised	practise	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	gentle	gentle	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	slope	slope	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **practise** | participle | the novice skiers |  |  | the gentle slope |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Even experts were novices once.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:novice:x3:1
# text = Even experts were novices once.
1	Even	even	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
2	experts	expert	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
3	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	novices	novice	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
5	once	once	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Mult	4	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | experts | novices |  |  |  | once *property* | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She entered the novice class at the pony show.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:novice:x4:1
# text = She entered the novice class at the pony show.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	entered	enter	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	novice	novice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	class	class	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	at	at	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	pony	pony	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	show	show	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 | **enter** | past | She | the novice class |  | the pony show |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme class=Destination |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The novice nun learned the prayers and daily work of the convent.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:novice:x5:1
# text = The novice nun learned the prayers and daily work of the convent.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	novice	novice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	nun	nun	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	learned	learn	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	prayers	prayer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
8	daily	daily	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	work	work	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	convent	convent	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 | **learn** | past | the novice nun | the prayers and daily work of the convent |  |  |  |  | vn learn-14-2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent prayer=Topic |
| 2 | **work** |  | the convent |  |  |  |  |  | nom work «act intransitive»: of=agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
This coding website has puzzles for novices and for experts.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:novice:x6:1
# text = This coding website has puzzles for novices and for experts.
1	This	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	3	det	_	_
2	coding	coding	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	website	website	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	puzzles	puzzle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	novices	novice	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
9	for	for	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	experts	expert	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | this coding website | puzzles |  |  |  | for novices and experts | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent puzzle=Patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
As a novice cook, Dad burnt the toast twice.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:novice:x7:1
# text = As a novice cook, Dad burnt the toast twice.
1	As	as	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	novice	novice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	cook	cook	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	Dad	Dad	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	burnt	burnt	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	toast	toast	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
10	twice	twice	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Mult	7	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **burnt** | past | Dad | the toast |  |  |  | as a novice cook; twice *property* | tree rules |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
One feels quite a novice beside these venerable million-year-old boulders.

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:novice:x8:1
# text = One feels quite a novice beside these venerable million-year-old boulders.
1	One	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	2	nsubj	_	_
2	feels	feel	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	quite	quite	DET	PDT	PronType=Ind	5	det:predet	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	novice	novice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	beside	beside	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
7	these	this	DET	DT	Number=Plur|PronType=Dem	14	det	_	_
8	venerable	venerable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
9	million	million	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	11	nummod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	year	year	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	boulders	boulder	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **feel** | present | One | quite novice |  | this venerable old boulders |  |  | vn hunt-35.1 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent novice=Theme beside boulder=Location |

<!-- 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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