---
title: paragraph — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «paragraph» in the school dictionary: A paragraph is a group of sentences about one main idea; it starts on a new line, often indented. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# paragraph

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** paragraph, you, first paragraph, reader, someone, story · **What happens:** be, start, indent, grab, attend, read · **To what, where:** group, new line, new paragraph, attention, second paragraph, five paragraphs · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A paragraph is a group of sentences about one main idea; it starts on a new line, often indented.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:paragraph:m1:1
# text = A paragraph is a group of sentences about one main idea; it starts on a new line, often indented.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	paragraph	paragraph	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	group	group	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	sentences	sentence	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	_
8	about	about	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	11	nummod	_	_
10	main	main	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	idea	idea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
13	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
14	starts	start	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
15	on	on	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
17	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
18	line	line	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
20	often	often	ADV	RB	_	21	advmod	_	_
21	indented	indent	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	18	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a paragraph | a group |  |  |  | of sentences about one main idea | tree rules |
| 2 | **start** | present | paragraph |  |  | a new line |  |  | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |
| 3 | **indent** | participle |  | a new line *not said here* |  |  |  | often *property* | tree rules |

<!-- .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 -->
Start a new paragraph for each new idea.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:paragraph:x1:1
# text = Start a new paragraph for each new idea.
1	Start	start	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	paragraph	paragraph	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	8	det	_	_
7	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	idea	idea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **start** | imperative | you *not said here* | a new paragraph |  |  |  | for each new idea | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent paragraph=Eventuality |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The first paragraph should grab the reader's attention.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:paragraph:x2:1
# text = The first paragraph should grab the reader's attention.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	first	first	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	3	amod	_	_
3	paragraph	paragraph	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	should	should	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	grab	grab	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	reader	reader	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	's	's	PART	POS	_	7	case	_	_
9	attention	attention	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **grab** | should | the first paragraph | the reader's attention |  |  |  |  | vn steal-10.5-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent attention=Theme |
| 2 | **attend** |  | the reader |  |  |  |  |  | nom attention «cognition intransitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Read the second paragraph again.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:paragraph:x3:1
# text = Read the second paragraph again.
1	Read	read	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	second	second	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	4	amod	_	_
4	paragraph	paragraph	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
5	again	again	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **read** | imperative | you *not said here* | the second paragraph |  |  | again |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent paragraph=Topic |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
When someone new speaks, start a new paragraph.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:paragraph:x4:1
# text = When someone new speaks, start a new paragraph.
1	When	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	4	advmod	_	_
2	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	4	nsubj	_	_
3	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
4	speaks	speak	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	start	start	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	paragraph	paragraph	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 | **speak** *speech: other* | present | someone |  |  |  |  |  | vn talk-37.5 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **start** | imperative | you *not said here* | a new paragraph |  |  |  |  | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent paragraph=Eventuality |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My story has five paragraphs.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:paragraph:x5:1
# text = My story has five paragraphs.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	five	five	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	paragraphs	paragraph	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Underline the topic sentence of the paragraph.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:paragraph:x6:1
# text = Underline the topic sentence of the paragraph.
1	Underline	underline	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	topic	topic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	sentence	sentence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	paragraph	paragraph	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **underline** | imperative | you *not said here* | the topic sentence of the paragraph |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sentence=Theme |
| 2 | **sentence** |  |  | the paragraph |  |  |  |  | nom sentence «communication transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He read the paragraph to them, and added, ‘I wonder, now, whether that could be your bull-calf Peter?’

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:paragraph:x7:1
# text = He read the paragraph to them, and added, ‘I wonder, now, whether that could be your bull-calf Peter?’
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	read	read	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	paragraph	paragraph	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	added	add	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
11	‘	'	PUNCT	``	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
13	wonder	wonder	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
15	now	now	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	13	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	24	punct	_	_
17	whether	whether	SCONJ	IN	_	24	mark	_	_
18	that	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	24	nsubj	_	_
19	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	24	aux	_	_
20	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	24	cop	_	_
21	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	24	nmod:poss	_	_
22	bull	bull	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	24	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	22	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	calf	calf	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	parataxis	_	_
25	Peter	Peter	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	24	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	25	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	’	'	PUNCT	''	_	24	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **read** | past | He | the paragraph | them *= they* |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: agent=Agent paragraph=Topic to they=Recipient |
| 2 | **add** *speech: assert* | past | He *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **wonder** *speech: ask* | present | I |  |  |  | now |  | vn care-88.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 4 | **is a** | could | that | your bull calf |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

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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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