---
title: porridge — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «porridge» in the school dictionary: Porridge is a warm, soft food made by cooking oats (or other grain) in milk or water until thick. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# porridge

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Porridge, British slang, I, Goldilocks, you, Let porridge · **What happens:** be, make, cook, do, mean, not use · **To what, where:** warm soft food, oats, porridge, prison, old joke, school · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«porridge» in the school dictionary: its 2 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: [porridge in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/porridge.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Porridge is a warm, soft food made by cooking oats (or other grain) in milk or water until thick.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:porridge:m1:1
# text = Porridge is a warm, soft food made by cooking oats (or other grain) in milk or water until thick.
1	Porridge	porridge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
4	warm	warm	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	soft	soft	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	acl	_	_
9	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
10	cooking	cook	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	8	advcl	_	_
11	oats	oat	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obj	_	_
12	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
14	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	grain	grain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	15	punct	_	_
17	in	in	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
18	milk	milk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	_
19	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	20	cc	_	_
20	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	conj	_	_
21	until	until	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
22	thick	thick	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Porridge | a warm soft food |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **make** | participle |  | a warm soft food *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset |
| 3 | **cook** | gerund |  | oats |  |  | until thick | in milk or water | vn cooking-45.3 «NP V NP PP.instrument»: agent=Agent oat=Patient in milk=Instrument |

<!-- .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 -->
In British slang, «doing porridge» means being in prison — an old joke, not used at school.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:porridge:m2:1
# text = In British slang, «doing porridge» means being in prison — an old joke, not used at school.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	British	British	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	slang	slang	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
5	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	doing	do	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	3	acl	_	_
7	porridge	porridge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	_
9	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
10	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	12	cop	_	_
11	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	prison	prison	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	ccomp	_	_
13	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	16	punct	_	_
14	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
15	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	joke	joke	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
18	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	19	advmod	_	_
19	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	16	acl	_	_
20	at	at	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
21	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** *in a quote* | gerund | British slang *not said here* | porridge |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent porridge=Eventuality |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  | in British slang | vn representation-110.1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Pivot in slang=Attribute |
| 3 | **is** | gerund |  |  |  | prison |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **not** **use** | participle |  | a old joke *not said here* |  | school |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I eat porridge with honey and banana on cold mornings.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:porridge:x1:1
# text = I eat porridge with honey and banana on cold mornings.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	eat	eat	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	porridge	porridge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	honey	honey	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	banana	banana	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
8	on	on	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	cold	cold	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	mornings	morning	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **eat** | present | I | porridge |  |  | morning | with honey and banana | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent porridge=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Goldilocks tasted the porridge in all three bowls.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:porridge:x2:1
# text = Goldilocks tasted the porridge in all three bowls.
1	Goldilocks	Goldilocks	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	tasted	taste	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	porridge	porridge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	8	det	_	_
7	three	three	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	8	nummod	_	_
8	bowls	bowl	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **taste** | past | Goldilocks | the porridge |  | all three bowls |  |  | vn stalk-35.3 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent porridge=Theme in bowl=Location |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Stir the porridge so it does not stick to the pan.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:porridge:x3:1
# text = Stir the porridge so it does not stick to the pan.
1	Stir	stir	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	porridge	porridge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	so	so	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
5	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
6	does	do	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
7	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	8	advmod	_	_
8	stick	stick	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	advcl	_	_
9	to	to	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	pan	pan	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stir** | imperative | you *not said here* | the porridge |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus porridge=Experiencer |
| 2 | **not** **stick** | present · do-support | porridge |  |  |  |  | to the pan | vn shake-22.3-2 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Let the porridge cool a little before you eat it — it can burn your mouth.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:porridge:x4:1
# text = Let the porridge cool a little before you eat it — it can burn your mouth.
1	Let	let	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	compound	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	porridge	porridge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	cool	cool	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	obl:unmarked	_	_
7	before	before	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
8	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	eat	eat	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	advcl	_	_
10	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obj	_	_
11	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	14	punct	_	_
12	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
13	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	14	aux	_	_
14	burn	burn	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	parataxis	_	_
15	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	16	nmod:poss	_	_
16	mouth	mouth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **let** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V PP.recipient»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **cool** | present | the Let porridge | a little |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 3 | **eat** | present | you | porridge |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Patient |
| 4 | **burn** | can | porridge | your mouth |  |  |  |  | vn light\_emission-43.1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent mouth=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the USA my cousin calls porridge «oatmeal».

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:porridge:x5:1
# text = In the USA my cousin calls porridge «oatmeal».
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	USA	USA	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
4	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	cousin	cousin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	calls	call	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	porridge	porridge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
8	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	oatmeal	oatmeal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** | present | my cousin | porridge |  | the USA |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent porridge=Recipient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The oats soaked up the milk and the porridge became thick.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:porridge:x6:1
# text = The oats soaked up the milk and the porridge became thick.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	oats	oat	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	nsubj	_	_
3	soaked	soak	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	2	acl	_	_
4	up	up	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	milk	milk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	porridge	porridge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	_
10	became	become	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
11	thick	thick	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **soak up** | participle | the oats *not said here* | the milk and the porridge |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **become** | past | the oats |  |  |  |  | thick *property* | vn become-109.1-1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grandad adds a pinch of salt to his porridge, the Scottish way.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:porridge:x7:1
# text = Grandad adds a pinch of salt to his porridge, the Scottish way.
1	Grandad	Grandad	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	adds	add	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	pinch	pinch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	salt	salt	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	porridge	porridge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	Scottish	Scottish	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **add** *speech: assert* | present | Grandad | a pinch of salt |  |  |  | to Grandad's porridge | vn mix-22.1-2 «NP V NP PP.co-patient»: agent=Agent pinch=Patient to porridge=Co-Patient |
| 2 | **pinch** |  |  | salt |  |  |  |  | nom pinch «state transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
“Somebody has been at my porridge!”

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:porridge:x8:1
# text = “Somebody has been at my porridge!”
1	“	"	PUNCT	``	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Somebody	somebody	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	7	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
4	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	7	cop	_	_
5	at	at	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	porridge	porridge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	”	"	PUNCT	''	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** *in a quote* | present · perfect | Somebody |  |  | my porridge |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- 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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