---
title: preferably — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «preferably» in the school dictionary: If possible; it would be better if: «Come early, preferably before nine.». Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# preferably

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** it, you, your, We, I · **What happens:** be, come, choose, like, bring, write · **To what, where:** nine, way, drink, answer, pen, helper

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
If possible; it would be better if: «Come early, preferably before nine.».

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:preferably:m1:1
# text = If possible; it would be better if: «Come early, preferably before nine.».
1	If	if	SCONJ	IN	_	2	mark	_	_
2	possible	possible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	2	punct	_	_
4	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
5	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
6	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	cop	_	_
7	better	good	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	0	root	_	_
8	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	11	punct	_	_
10	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	Come	come	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	advcl	_	_
12	early	early	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	11	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
14	preferably	preferably	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
15	before	before	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
16	nine	nine	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | would | it |  |  |  |  | good *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **come** *a condition, not said to happen, in a quote* | infinitive |  |  |  | nine |  | early, preferably *property* | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme before nine=Location |

<!-- .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 a way that is chosen or liked more than other ways.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:preferably:m2:1
# text = In a way that is chosen or liked more than other ways.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	6	nsubj:pass	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux:pass	_	_
6	chosen	choose	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	acl:relcl	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	liked	like	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	conj	_	_
9	more	more	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	8	advmod	_	_
10	than	than	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	ways	way	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **choose** | present · passive |  | a way |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |
| 2 | **like** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Bring a drink, preferably water, not fizzy pop.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:preferably:x1:1
# text = Bring a drink, preferably water, not fizzy pop.
1	Bring	bring	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	drink	drink	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
5	preferably	preferably	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
8	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	10	advmod	_	_
9	fizzy	fizzy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	pop	pop	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **bring** | imperative | you *not said here* | a drink and water and fizzy pop |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3-1 «NP V NP together»: agent=Agent drink=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Write your answer in pen, preferably black.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:preferably:x2:1
# text = Write your answer in pen, preferably black.
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	answer	answer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	pen	pen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
7	preferably	preferably	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	black	black	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	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 answer |  | pen |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent answer=Theme in pen=Destination |
| 2 | **answer** |  | your |  |  |  |  |  | nom answer «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We need a helper, preferably someone tall.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:preferably:x3:1
# text = We need a helper, preferably someone tall.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	need	need	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	helper	helper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
6	preferably	preferably	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	4	appos	_	_
8	tall	tall	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Go to bed early, preferably by eight.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:preferably:x4:1
# text = Go to bed early, preferably by eight.
1	Go	go	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	to	to	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	bed	bed	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
4	early	early	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	1	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
6	preferably	preferably	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	_
7	by	by	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	eight	eight	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  | bed |  | early, preferably *property* | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme to bed=Initial\_Location |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Keep the medicine somewhere cool, preferably in the fridge.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:preferably:x5:1
# text = Keep the medicine somewhere cool, preferably in the fridge.
1	Keep	keep	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	medicine	medicine	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	somewhere	somewhere	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	1	advmod	_	_
5	cool	cool	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
7	preferably	preferably	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	fridge	fridge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **keep** | imperative | you *not said here* | the medicine |  |  |  | cool, somewhere *property* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent medicine=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Plant the seeds in spring, preferably on a dry day.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:preferably:x6:1
# text = Plant the seeds in spring, preferably on a dry day.
1	Plant	plant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	seeds	seed	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	spring	spring	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
7	preferably	preferably	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
8	on	on	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	dry	dry	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Shall I bring my brother?» «Preferably not.»

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* «Shall I bring my brother?»

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:preferably:x7:1
# text = «Shall I bring my brother?»
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Shall	shall	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	bring	bring	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	brother	brother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **bring** *in a quote* | shall | I |  | my brother |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3-1 «NP V NP ADVP»: agent=Instrument brother=Destination |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* «Preferably not.»

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:preferably:x7:2
# text = «Preferably not.»
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Preferably	preferably	ADV	RB	_	0	root	_	_
3	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	2	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

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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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