---
title: pencil — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «pencil» in the school dictionary: A pencil is a thin stick of wood with grey graphite (called «lead») or colour inside, for writing and drawing. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# pencil

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** pencil, grey graphite, coloured pencil, Lily, Anna, box · **What happens:** be, call, draw, change, have, lose · **To what, where:** thin stick, lead, pencil, colours, 9 pencils, 5 · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«pencil» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 9 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: [pencil in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/pencil.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A pencil is a thin stick of wood with grey graphite (called «lead») or colour inside, for writing and drawing.

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pencil:m1:1
# text = A pencil is a thin stick of wood with grey graphite (called «lead») or colour inside, for writing and drawing.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	pencil	pencil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	thin	thin	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	stick	stick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	wood	wood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
9	with	with	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	grey	grey	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	graphite	graphite	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
12	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	11	acl	_	_
14	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	lead	lead	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	13	punct	_	_
18	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
19	colour	colour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	conj	_	_
20	inside	inside	ADV	RB	_	19	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	23	punct	_	_
22	for	for	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
23	writing	writing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	_
24	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	25	cc	_	_
25	drawing	draw	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	23	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a pencil | a thin stick and writing |  |  |  | of wood; with grey graphite or colour | tree rules |
| 2 | **call** | participle | grey graphite or colour *not said here* | lead |  |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **draw** | gerund | a pencil *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | 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 -->
A coloured pencil is a pencil for drawing in colours.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pencil:m2:1
# text = A coloured pencil is a pencil for drawing in colours.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	coloured	coloured	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	pencil	pencil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	pencil	pencil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
8	drawing	draw	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	acl	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	colours	colour	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a coloured pencil | a pencil |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **draw** | gerund | a pencil *not said here* |  |  | colours |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent in colour=Destination |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To pencil something in is to write it down for now, maybe to change later.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pencil:m3:1
# text = To pencil something in is to write it down for now, maybe to change later.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	3	mark	_	_
2	pencil	pencil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	0	root	_	_
4	in	in	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	write	write	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	acl	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
9	down	down	ADP	RP	_	7	compound:prt	_	_
10	for	for	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	now	now	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
13	maybe	maybe	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
14	to	to	PART	TO	_	15	mark	_	_
15	change	change	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	conj	_	_
16	later	late	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	15	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | write *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **change** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | late, maybe *property* | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Lily had 9 pencils and lost 5.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pencil:x1:1
# text = Lily had 9 pencils and lost 5.
1	Lily	Lily	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	9	9	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	4	nummod	_	_
4	pencils	pencil	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	lost	lose	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
7	5	5	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | Lily | 9 pencils |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent pencil=Patient |
| 2 | **lose** | past | Lily *not said here* | 5 |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent 5=Eventuality |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Anna has 18 pencils and shares them equally among 2 friends.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pencil:x2:1
# text = Anna has 18 pencils and shares them equally among 2 friends.
1	Anna	Anna	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	18	18	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	4	nummod	_	_
4	pencils	pencil	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	shares	share	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
7	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	equally	equally	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
9	among	among	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	2	2	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	11	nummod	_	_
11	friends	friend	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | Anna | 18 pencils |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent pencil=Patient |
| 2 | **share** | present | Anna *not said here* | pencils *= pencil* |  |  |  | among 2 friends; equally *property* | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A box has 10 pencils.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pencil:x3:1
# text = A box has 10 pencils.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	box	box	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	10	10	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	pencils	pencil	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 | a box | 10 pencils |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent pencil=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Sharpen your pencil before the test.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pencil:x4:1
# text = Sharpen your pencil before the test.
1	Sharpen	sharpen	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
3	pencil	pencil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	before	before	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	test	test	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sharpen** | imperative | you *not said here* | your pencil |  |  | before the test |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent pencil=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Write your answers in pencil, so you can rub them out.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pencil:x5:1
# text = Write your answers in pencil, so you can rub them out.
1	Write	write	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
3	answers	answer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obj	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	pencil	pencil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
7	so	so	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
8	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
9	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
10	rub	rub	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	conj	_	_
11	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	obj	_	_
12	out	out	ADP	RP	_	10	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write** | imperative | you *not said here* | your answers |  | pencil |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent answer=Theme in pencil=Destination |
| 2 | **rub out** | can | you | answers *= answer* |  |  |  |  | vn spray-9.7-1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent they=Theme |
| 3 | **answer** |  | your |  |  |  |  |  | nom answer «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I keep my pencils in a pencil case.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pencil:x6:1
# text = I keep my pencils in a pencil case.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	keep	keep	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	pencils	pencil	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	pencil	pencil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	case	case	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **keep** | present | I | my pencils |  | a pencil case |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent pencil=Theme in case=Location |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She drew a horse with coloured pencils.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pencil:x7:1
# text = She drew a horse with coloured pencils.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	drew	draw	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	horse	horse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	coloured	coloured	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	pencils	pencil	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **draw** | past | She | a horse |  |  |  | with coloured pencils | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent horse=Theme |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Don't run with a sharp pencil.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pencil:x8:1
# text = Don't run with a sharp pencil.
1	Do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	run	run	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	sharp	sharp	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	pencil	pencil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **run** | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | with a sharp pencil | vn preparing-26.3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent with pencil=Material |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The pencil would not go quite as it ought,--he had found that out; but the next day he tried again.

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pencil:x9:1
# text = The pencil would not go quite as it ought,--he had found that out; but the next day he tried again.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	pencil	pencil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
4	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	5	advmod	_	_
5	go	go	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	quite	quite	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
7	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	ought	ought	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	--	--	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
13	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	14	aux	_	_
14	found	find	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	5	conj	_	_
15	that	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	14	obj	_	_
16	out	out	ADP	RP	_	14	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	23	punct	_	_
18	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	23	cc	_	_
19	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
20	next	next	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	21	amod	_	_
21	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	23	obl:unmarked	_	_
22	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	23	nsubj	_	_
23	tried	try	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	parataxis	_	_
24	again	again	ADV	RB	_	23	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **go** | would | the pencil |  |  |  |  |  | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **find out** | past · perfect | he | that |  |  |  |  | vn learn-14-2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent that=Topic |
| 3 | **try** | past | he |  |  |  | again; day |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |

<!-- 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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