---
title: photosynthesis — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «photosynthesis» in the school dictionary: Photosynthesis is the way green plants make their own food using sunlight, water and carbon dioxide from the air, giving out oxygen. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# photosynthesis

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Photosynthesis, green plants, Plants, Leaves, chlorophyll, plant · **What happens:** be, make, use, give out, need, trap · **To what, where:** way, own food, sunlight, air, oxygen, food

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Photosynthesis is the way green plants make their own food using sunlight, water and carbon dioxide from the air, giving out oxygen.

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:photosynthesis:m1:1
# text = Photosynthesis is the way green plants make their own food using sunlight, water and carbon dioxide from the air, giving out oxygen.
1	Photosynthesis	photosynthesis	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	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	green	green	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	plants	plant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
7	make	make	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	acl:relcl	_	_
8	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
9	own	own	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
11	using	use	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	7	advcl	_	_
12	sunlight	sunlight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
14	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	conj	_	_
15	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
16	carbon	carbon	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	compound	_	_
17	dioxide	dioxide	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	conj	_	_
18	from	from	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
19	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
20	air	air	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	22	punct	_	_
22	giving	give	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	11	advcl	_	_
23	out	out	ADP	RP	_	22	compound:prt	_	_
24	oxygen	oxygen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Photosynthesis | the way |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **make** | present | green plants | plants's own food |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset food=Product |
| 3 | **use** | gerund | green plants *not said here* | sunlight and water and carbon dioxide |  | the air |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sunlight=Patient |
| 4 | **give out** | gerund | green plants *not said here* | oxygen |  |  |  |  | vn contribute-13.2 «NP V NP.theme (PP)»: agent=Agent oxygen=Theme |

<!-- .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 -->
Plants make food by photosynthesis.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:photosynthesis:x1:1
# text = Plants make food by photosynthesis.
1	Plants	plant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	make	make	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	by	by	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	photosynthesis	photosynthesis	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | present | Plants | food |  |  |  | by photosynthesis | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset food=Product |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Photosynthesis needs sunlight, water and carbon dioxide.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:photosynthesis:x2:1
# text = Photosynthesis needs sunlight, water and carbon dioxide.
1	Photosynthesis	photosynthesis	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	needs	need	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	sunlight	sunlight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
5	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
7	carbon	carbon	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	dioxide	dioxide	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **need** | present | Photosynthesis | sunlight and water and carbon dioxide |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Pivot sunlight=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Leaves are green because of chlorophyll, which traps light for photosynthesis.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:photosynthesis:x3:1
# text = Leaves are green because of chlorophyll, which traps light for photosynthesis.
1	Leaves	leaf	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	green	green	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	because	because	ADP	IN	ExtPos=ADP	6	case	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	fixed	_	_
6	chlorophyll	chlorophyll	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
8	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	9	nsubj	_	_
9	traps	trap	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	acl:relcl	_	_
10	light	light	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
11	for	for	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	photosynthesis	photosynthesis	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Leaves |  |  |  |  | because chlorophyll; green *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **trap** | present | chlorophyll | light |  |  |  | for photosynthesis | vn trick-59.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent light=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Photosynthesis gives out oxygen.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:photosynthesis:x4:1
# text = Photosynthesis gives out oxygen.
1	Photosynthesis	photosynthesis	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	gives	give	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	out	out	ADP	RP	_	2	compound:prt	_	_
4	oxygen	oxygen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give out** | present | Photosynthesis | oxygen |  |  |  |  | vn contribute-13.2 «NP V NP.theme (PP)»: agent=Agent oxygen=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A plant in a dark cupboard cannot carry out photosynthesis.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:photosynthesis:x5:1
# text = A plant in a dark cupboard cannot carry out photosynthesis.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	plant	plant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	dark	dark	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	cupboard	cupboard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
7	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	9	advmod	_	_
9	carry	carry	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
10	out	out	ADP	RP	_	9	compound:prt	_	_
11	photosynthesis	photosynthesis	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **carry out** | can | a plant in a dark cupboard | photosynthesis |  |  |  |  | vn act-114 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent photosynthesis=Eventuality |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Almost all food chains start with photosynthesis.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:photosynthesis:x6:1
# text = Almost all food chains start with photosynthesis.
1	Almost	almost	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
2	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	4	det	_	_
3	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	chains	chain	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
5	start	start	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	photosynthesis	photosynthesis	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **start** | present | all food chains |  |  |  |  | with photosynthesis | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V PP.subeventuality»: agent=Eventuality with photosynthesis=Subeventuality |

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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.

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