---
title: precursor — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «precursor» in the school dictionary: Something that came before a later thing and led to it or helped it develop: «The abacus was a precursor of the calculator.». Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# precursor

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** thing, abacus, sign, penny farthing, Telegrams, dinosaurs · **What happens:** come, lead, help, develop, be, make · **To what, where:** later thing, thing, precursor, something, substance, precursors

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Something that came before a later thing and led to it or helped it develop: «The abacus was a precursor of the calculator.».

<!-- fold The tree, 23 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:precursor:m1:1
# text = Something that came before a later thing and led to it or helped it develop: «The abacus was a precursor of the calculator.».
1	Something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	0	root	_	_
2	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	3	nsubj	_	_
3	came	come	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	1	acl:relcl	_	_
4	before	before	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	later	late	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	7	amod	_	_
7	thing	thing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	led	lead	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
10	to	to	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obl	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	helped	help	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
14	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	obj	_	_
15	develop	develop	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	13	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	22	punct	_	_
17	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	22	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	abacus	abacus	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	nsubj	_	_
20	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	22	cop	_	_
21	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
22	precursor	precursor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	appos	_	_
23	of	of	ADP	IN	_	25	case	_	_
24	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	25	det	_	_
25	calculator	calculator	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	22	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	22	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come** | past |  |  |  | a later thing |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme before thing=Location |
| 2 | **lead** | past |  |  | thing |  |  |  | vn result-27.2 «NP V PP»: agent=Precondition to it=Patient |
| 3 | **help** | past |  | thing |  |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent it=Beneficiary clause=Theme |
| 4 | **develop** | infinitive | thing *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 5 | **is a** *in a quote* | past | the abacus | a precursor |  |  |  | of the calculator | 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.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A sign or event that comes before something else: «a precursor to a storm».

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:precursor:m2:1
# text = A sign or event that comes before something else: «a precursor to a storm».
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	sign	sign	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	event	event	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
5	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	6	nsubj	_	_
6	comes	come	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	acl:relcl	_	_
7	before	before	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	6	obl	_	_
9	else	else	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	13	punct	_	_
11	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	precursor	precursor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	appos	_	_
14	to	to	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	storm	storm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come** | present | a sign or event |  |  | something |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme before something=Location |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: science — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A substance from which another substance is made in a chemical reaction or in the body.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:precursor:m3:1
# text = A substance from which another substance is made in a chemical reaction or in the body.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	substance	substance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	from	from	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	8	obl	_	_
5	another	another	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	6	det	_	_
6	substance	substance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj:pass	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux:pass	_	_
8	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl:relcl	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	chemical	chemical	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	reaction	reaction	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
13	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
14	in	in	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	body	body	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | present · passive |  | another substance |  | a substance |  | in a chemical reaction or the body | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V PP»: subject=Product from which=Material |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The penny-farthing was a precursor of the modern bicycle.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:precursor:x1:1
# text = The penny-farthing was a precursor of the modern bicycle.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
2	penny	penny	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	farthing	farthing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
5	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	precursor	precursor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	modern	modern	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	bicycle	bicycle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | the penny farthing | a precursor |  |  |  | of the modern bicycle | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Telegrams were a precursor to text messages.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:precursor:x2:1
# text = Telegrams were a precursor to text messages.
1	Telegrams	telegram	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
2	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	precursor	precursor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	text	text	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	messages	message	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | Telegrams | a precursor |  |  |  | to text messages | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Some dinosaurs were precursors of birds.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:precursor:x3:1
# text = Some dinosaurs were precursors of birds.
1	Some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	2	det	_	_
2	dinosaurs	dinosaur	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
3	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	precursors	precursor	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	birds	bird	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | some dinosaurs | precursors |  |  |  | of birds | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dark clouds were the precursor to a big storm.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:precursor:x4:1
# text = Dark clouds were the precursor to a big storm.
1	Dark	dark	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	clouds	cloud	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
3	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	precursor	precursor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	to	to	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	storm	storm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | Dark clouds | the precursor |  |  |  | to a big storm | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Greek Olympics were a precursor of today's Games.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:precursor:x5:1
# text = The Greek Olympics were a precursor of today's Games.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	Greek	Greek	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	Olympics	Olympic	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
4	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	precursor	precursor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	today	today	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	's	's	PART	POS	_	8	case	_	_
10	Games	Game	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | the Greek Olympics | a precursor |  |  |  | of Games | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In plants, some chemicals are precursors of colours in leaves.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:precursor:x6:1
# text = In plants, some chemicals are precursors of colours in leaves.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	plants	plant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	5	det	_	_
5	chemicals	chemical	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
6	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	precursors	precursor	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	colours	colour	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nmod	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	leaves	leaf	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | some chemicals | precursors |  | plants |  | of colours in leaves | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The first computer games were simple precursors of the games we play now.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:precursor:x7:1
# text = The first computer games were simple precursors of the games we play now.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
2	first	first	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	4	amod	_	_
3	computer	computer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	games	game	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
5	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	simple	simple	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	precursors	precursor	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	games	game	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nmod	_	_
11	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
12	play	play	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	acl:relcl	_	_
13	now	now	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	12	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | the first computer games | simple precursors |  |  |  | of the games | tree rules |
| 2 | **play** | present | we | the games *not said here* |  |  | now |  | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent game=Theme |

<!-- 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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