---
title: phytoplankton — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «phytoplankton» in the school dictionary: Phytoplankton are tiny living things, mostly too small to see, that float near the surface of seas and lakes and make their own food from sunlight, like plants do. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# phytoplankton

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Phytoplankton, that, plants, Tiny animals, Ocean phytoplankton, phytoplankton bloom · **What happens:** be, see, float, make, do, use · **To what, where:** tiny living things, surface, own food, sunlight, food, zooplankton · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Phytoplankton are tiny living things, mostly too small to see, that float near the surface of seas and lakes and make their own food from sunlight, like plants do.

<!-- fold The tree, 29 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:phytoplankton:m1:1
# text = Phytoplankton are tiny living things, mostly too small to see, that float near the surface of seas and lakes and make their own food from sunlight, like plants do.
1	Phytoplankton	phytoplankton	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	tiny	tiny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
4	living	living	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
7	mostly	mostly	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
8	too	too	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	see	see	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
13	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	14	nsubj	_	_
14	float	float	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	parataxis	_	_
15	near	near	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	surface	surface	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	_
18	of	of	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
19	seas	sea	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	17	nmod	_	_
20	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	21	cc	_	_
21	lakes	lake	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	19	conj	_	_
22	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	23	cc	_	_
23	make	make	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	conj	_	_
24	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	26	nmod:poss	_	_
25	own	own	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	26	amod	_	_
26	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	23	obj	_	_
27	from	from	ADP	IN	_	28	case	_	_
28	sunlight	sunlight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	23	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	32	punct	_	_
30	like	like	SCONJ	IN	_	32	mark	_	_
31	plants	plant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	32	nsubj	_	_
32	do	do	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
33	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Phytoplankton | tiny living things |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **see** | to-infinitive | Phytoplankton *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 3 | **float** | present | that |  |  | the surface of seas and lakes |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme near surface=Trajectory |
| 4 | **make** | present | that *not said here* | lakes's own food |  | sunlight |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V PP»: agent=Asset food=Product from sunlight=Material |
| 5 | **do** | present | plants |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «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.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Phytoplankton float near the surface of the sea.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:phytoplankton:x1:1
# text = Phytoplankton float near the surface of the sea.
1	Phytoplankton	Phytoplankton	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	float	float	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	near	near	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	surface	surface	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	sea	sea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **float** | present | Phytoplankton |  |  | the surface of the sea |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme near surface=Trajectory |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Phytoplankton use sunlight to make food, just like plants.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:phytoplankton:x2:1
# text = Phytoplankton use sunlight to make food, just like plants.
1	Phytoplankton	phytoplankton	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	use	use	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
3	sunlight	sunlight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
6	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
8	just	just	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
9	like	like	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	plants	plant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | infinitive | Phytoplankton | sunlight |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sunlight=Patient |
| 2 | **make** | to-infinitive | Phytoplankton *not said here* | food |  |  |  | like plants | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset food=Product |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Tiny animals called zooplankton eat phytoplankton.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:phytoplankton:x3:1
# text = Tiny animals called zooplankton eat phytoplankton.
1	Tiny	tiny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	animals	animal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
3	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	zooplankton	zooplankton	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	xcomp	_	_
5	eat	eat	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	phytoplankton	phytoplankton	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** | participle | Tiny animals *not said here* | zooplankton |  |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **eat** | present | Tiny animals | phytoplankton |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent phytoplankton=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ocean phytoplankton make about half of the Earth's oxygen.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:phytoplankton:x4:1
# text = Ocean phytoplankton make about half of the Earth's oxygen.
1	Ocean	Ocean	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	phytoplankton	phytoplankton	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	make	make	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	about	about	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	half	half	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing|NumForm=Word|NumType=Frac	3	obj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	Earth	Earth	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	10	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	's	's	PART	POS	_	8	case	_	_
10	oxygen	oxygen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | present | Ocean phytoplankton | half of the Earth's oxygen |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset half=Product |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A phytoplankton bloom turned the sea green.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:phytoplankton:x5:1
# text = A phytoplankton bloom turned the sea green.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	phytoplankton	phytoplankton	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	bloom	bloom	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	turned	turn	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	sea	sea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	green	green	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **turn** | past | a phytoplankton bloom | the sea green |  |  |  |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent green=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Krill feed on phytoplankton, and whales eat krill.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:phytoplankton:x6:1
# text = Krill feed on phytoplankton, and whales eat krill.
1	Krill	Krill	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	feed	feed	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	on	on	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	phytoplankton	phytoplankton	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
7	whales	whale	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
8	eat	eat	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
9	krill	krill	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **feed** | present | Krill |  |  |  |  | on phytoplankton | vn gorge-39.6 «NP V PP.patient»: agent=Agent on phytoplankton=Patient |
| 2 | **eat** | present | whales | krill |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent krill=Patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Without phytoplankton, ocean food chains would collapse.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:phytoplankton:x7:1
# text = Without phytoplankton, ocean food chains would collapse.
1	Without	without	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	phytoplankton	phytoplankton	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	ocean	ocean	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	chains	chain	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
7	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
8	collapse	collapse	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **collapse** | would | food chains |  |  |  |  | without phytoplankton | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

<!-- 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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