---
title: punctuate — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «punctuate» in the school dictionary: To punctuate writing is to put in punctuation marks, like full stops, commas, question marks and speech marks. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# punctuate

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** cheers, he, his, you, She, hoot · **What happens:** punctuate, be, stop, mean, interrupt, stress · **To what, where:** writing, punctuation marks, commas, something, it, speech · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To punctuate writing is to put in punctuation marks, like full stops, commas, question marks and speech marks.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:punctuate:m1:1
# text = To punctuate writing is to put in punctuation marks, like full stops, commas, question marks and speech marks.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	punctuate	punctuate	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
3	writing	writing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	put	put	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	punctuation	punctuation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	marks	mark	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
11	like	like	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
12	full	full	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	stops	stop	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
15	commas	comma	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
17	question	question	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	compound	_	_
18	marks	mark	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	15	conj	_	_
19	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	21	cc	_	_
20	speech	speech	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	compound	_	_
21	marks	mark	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	15	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **punctuate** | to-infinitive |  | writing |  |  |  |  | vn butter-9.9 «NP V NP.destination»: agent=Agent writing=Destination |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  | punctuation marks |  | put *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **stop** | present |  | commas and question marks and speech marks |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V NP.eventuality»: agent=Subeventuality comma=Eventuality |

<!-- .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 -->
To punctuate something also means to interrupt it again and again: the speech was punctuated by cheers.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:punctuate:m2:1
# text = To punctuate something also means to interrupt it again and again: the speech was punctuated by cheers.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	punctuate	punctuate	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	csubj	_	_
3	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	also	also	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	interrupt	interrupt	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	xcomp	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
9	again	again	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	again	again	ADV	RB	_	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	16	punct	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	speech	speech	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	nsubj:pass	_	_
15	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	16	aux:pass	_	_
16	punctuated	punctuate	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	conj	_	_
17	by	by	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
18	cheers	cheer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **punctuate** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn butter-9.9 «NP V NP.destination»: agent=Agent something=Destination |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **interrupt** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  | it |  |  | again |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **punctuate** | past · passive | cheers | the speech |  |  |  |  | vn butter-9.9 «NP V NP.destination»: agent=Agent subject=Destination |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To punctuate can mean to stress a point: he punctuated his words by banging the table.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:punctuate:m3:1
# text = To punctuate can mean to stress a point: he punctuated his words by banging the table.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	punctuate	punctuate	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	stress	stress	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	point	point	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	11	punct	_	_
10	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
11	punctuated	punctuate	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
12	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	13	nmod:poss	_	_
13	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	obj	_	_
14	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	15	mark	_	_
15	banging	bang	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	11	advcl	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	table	table	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | can · infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **stress** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  | a point |  |  |  |  | vn butter-9.9 «NP V NP.destination»: agent=Agent point=Destination |
| 3 | **punctuate** | past | he | his words |  |  |  |  | vn butter-9.9 «NP V NP.destination»: agent=Agent word=Destination |
| 4 | **bang** | gerund | he *not said here* | the table |  |  |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location table=Theme |
| 5 | **word** |  | his *= he* |  |  |  |  |  | nom word «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Punctuate this sentence: where are you going asked tom

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:punctuate:x1:1
# text = Punctuate this sentence: where are you going asked tom
1	Punctuate	punctuate	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	3	det	_	_
3	sentence	sentence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	8	punct	_	_
5	where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	8	advmod	_	_
6	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
7	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	going	go	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	1	advcl	_	_
9	asked	ask	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	10	amod	_	_
10	tom	tom	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **punctuate** | imperative | you *not said here* | this sentence |  |  |  |  | vn butter-9.9 «NP V NP.destination»: agent=Agent sentence=Destination |
| 2 | **go** | present · progressive | you | asked tom |  |  |  |  | vn meander-47.7 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location tom=Theme |
| 3 | **ask** *speech: ask* | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Remember to punctuate your story with full stops and capital letters.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:punctuate:x2:1
# text = Remember to punctuate your story with full stops and capital letters.
1	Remember	remember	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	to	to	PART	TO	_	3	mark	_	_
3	punctuate	punctuate	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	xcomp	_	_
4	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	with	with	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
7	full	full	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	stops	stop	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
10	capital	capital	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	compound	_	_
11	letters	letter	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **remember** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V what S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 2 | **punctuate** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* | your story |  |  |  |  | vn butter-9.9 «NP V NP.destination»: agent=Agent story=Destination |
| 3 | **stop** | present | you *not said here* | capital letters |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V NP.eventuality»: agent=Subeventuality letter=Eventuality |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She punctuated the dialogue with speech marks.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:punctuate:x3:1
# text = She punctuated the dialogue with speech marks.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	punctuated	punctuate	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	dialogue	dialogue	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	speech	speech	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	marks	mark	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **punctuate** | past | She | the dialogue |  |  |  | with speech marks | vn butter-9.9 «NP V NP PP.theme»: agent=Agent dialogue=Destination with mark=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The quiet night was punctuated by an owl's hoot.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:punctuate:x4:1
# text = The quiet night was punctuated by an owl's hoot.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	quiet	quiet	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	night	night	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	punctuated	punctuate	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	by	by	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
7	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	owl	owl	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	's	's	PART	POS	_	8	case	_	_
10	hoot	hoot	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **punctuate** | past · passive | a owl's hoot | the quiet night |  |  |  |  | vn butter-9.9 «NP V NP.destination»: agent=Agent subject=Destination |
| 2 | **hoot** |  | a owl |  |  |  |  |  | nom hoot «communication intransitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
His talk was punctuated with jokes.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:punctuate:x5:1
# text = His talk was punctuated with jokes.
1	His	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	talk	talk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	punctuated	punctuate	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	jokes	joke	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **punctuate** | past · passive |  | His talk |  |  |  | with jokes | vn butter-9.9 «NP V NP PP.theme»: subject=Destination with joke=Theme |
| 2 | **talk** |  | His *= he* |  |  |  |  |  | nom talk «communication intransitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The teacher punctuated each rule by tapping the board.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:punctuate:x6:1
# text = The teacher punctuated each rule by tapping the board.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	punctuated	punctuate	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	5	det	_	_
5	rule	rule	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
7	tapping	tap	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	advcl	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	board	board	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **punctuate** | past | the teacher | each rule |  |  |  |  | vn butter-9.9 «NP V NP.destination»: agent=Agent rule=Destination |
| 2 | **tap** | gerund | the teacher *not said here* | the board |  |  |  |  | vn investigate-35.4 «NP V NP.location»: agent=Agent board=Location |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Can you punctuate the list with commas?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:punctuate:x7:1
# text = Can you punctuate the list with commas?
1	Can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
2	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	punctuate	punctuate	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	list	list	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	commas	comma	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **punctuate** | can | you | the list |  |  |  | with commas | vn butter-9.9 «NP V NP PP.theme»: agent=Agent list=Destination with comma=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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