---
title: simplify — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «simplify» in the school dictionary: To simplify something is to make it simpler or easier to understand or do. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# simplify

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** smaller numbers, you, new app, We, everyone, your · **What happens:** simplify, be, understand, do, mean, divide · **To what, where:** something, fraction, same amount, top, expression, shorter way

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To simplify something is to make it simpler or easier to understand or do.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:simplify:m1:1
# text = To simplify something is to make it simpler or easier to understand or do.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	simplify	simplify	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	csubj	_	_
3	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	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	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	simpler	simple	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	6	xcomp	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	easier	easy	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	8	conj	_	_
11	to	to	PART	TO	_	12	mark	_	_
12	understand	understand	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	xcomp	_	_
13	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **simplify** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | make, simple *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **understand** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 4 | **do** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | 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.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To simplify a fraction is to write it with smaller numbers that mean the same amount, by dividing the top and bottom by the same number.

<!-- fold The tree, 26 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:simplify:m2:1
# text = To simplify a fraction is to write it with smaller numbers that mean the same amount, by dividing the top and bottom by the same number.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	simplify	simplify	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	advcl	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	fraction	fraction	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	write	write	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
9	with	with	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	smaller	small	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	11	amod	_	_
11	numbers	number	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	_
12	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	13	nsubj	_	_
13	mean	mean	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	acl:relcl	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
15	same	same	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	amount	amount	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
18	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	19	mark	_	_
19	dividing	divide	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	7	advcl	_	_
20	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
21	top	top	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	obj	_	_
22	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	23	cc	_	_
23	bottom	bottom	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	conj	_	_
24	by	by	ADP	IN	_	27	case	_	_
25	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	27	det	_	_
26	same	same	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	27	amod	_	_
27	number	number	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **simplify** | to-infinitive |  | a fraction |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | with smaller numbers; write *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **mean** | present | smaller numbers | the same amount |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent amount=Topic |
| 4 | **divide** | gerund |  | the top and bottom |  |  |  | by the same number | vn multiply-108-1 «NP V NP PP.co-theme»: agent=Agent top=Theme by number=Co-Theme |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To simplify an expression is to write it in a shorter way, for example by collecting like terms.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:simplify:m3:1
# text = To simplify an expression is to write it in a shorter way, for example by collecting like terms.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	simplify	simplify	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	advcl	_	_
3	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	expression	expression	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	write	write	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	shorter	short	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	12	amod	_	_
12	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
14	for	for	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	example	example	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
16	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	17	mark	_	_
17	collecting	collect	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	7	advcl	_	_
18	like	like	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
19	terms	term	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	17	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **simplify** | to-infinitive |  | a expression |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  | a shorter way |  | for example; write *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **collect** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | like terms | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Can you simplify the instructions for the little ones?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:simplify:x1:1
# text = Can you simplify the instructions for the little ones?
1	Can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
2	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	simplify	simplify	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	instructions	instruction	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	ones	one	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **simplify** | can | you | the instructions |  |  |  | for the little ones | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Simplify 10/15 by dividing both numbers by 5 to get 2/3.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:simplify:x2:1
# text = Simplify 10/15 by dividing both numbers by 5 to get 2/3.
1	Simplify	simplify	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	10/15	10/15	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	1	obj	_	_
3	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	4	mark	_	_
4	dividing	divide	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	1	advcl	_	_
5	both	both	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	6	det	_	_
6	numbers	number	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
7	by	by	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	5	5	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	4	obl	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	get	get	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	advcl	_	_
11	2/3	2/3	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **simplify** | imperative | you *not said here* | 10/15 |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **divide** | gerund | you *not said here* | both numbers |  |  |  | by 5 | vn multiply-108-1 «NP V NP PP.co-theme»: agent=Agent number=Theme by 5=Co-Theme |
| 3 | **get** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* | 2/3 |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer 2/3=Stimulus |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Simplify 3x + 4x to get 7x.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:simplify:x3:1
# text = Simplify 3x + 4x to get 7x.
1	Simplify	simplify	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	3	3	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	6	nummod	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	x	x	SYM	SYM	ExtPos=ADP	5	case	_	_
4	+	+	SYM	SYM	_	5	cc	_	_
5	4	4	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	2	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	x	x	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	get	get	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	advcl	_	_
9	7	7	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	10	nummod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	x	x	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **simplify** | imperative | you *not said here* | 3 x |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **get** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* | 7 x |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer x=Stimulus |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The new app simplifies homework by putting it all in one place.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:simplify:x4:1
# text = The new app simplifies homework by putting it all in one place.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	app	app	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	simplifies	simplify	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	homework	homework	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
6	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
7	putting	put	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	advcl	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
9	all	all	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	12	nummod	_	_
12	place	place	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **simplify** | present | the new app | homework |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **put** | gerund | the new app *not said here* | homework |  | one place |  | all *property* | vn put-9.1-2 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent it=Theme in place=Destination |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We simplified the game so everyone could play.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:simplify:x5:1
# text = We simplified the game so everyone could play.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	simplified	simplify	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	game	game	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	so	so	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
6	everyone	everyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	8	nsubj	_	_
7	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
8	play	play	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **simplify** | past | We | the game |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **play** | could | everyone |  |  |  |  |  | vn performance-26.7-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Always simplify your answer fully.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:simplify:x6:1
# text = Always simplify your answer fully.
1	Always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	2	advmod	_	_
2	simplify	simplify	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	answer	answer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	fully	fully	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **simplify** | imperative | you *not said here* | your answer |  |  |  | always, fully *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **answer** |  | your |  |  |  |  |  | nom answer «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The teacher simplified the story for the younger class.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:simplify:x7:1
# text = The teacher simplified the story for the younger class.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	simplified	simplify	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	younger	young	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	9	amod	_	_
9	class	class	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **simplify** | past | the teacher | the story |  |  |  | for the younger class | 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 -->

<!-- pn -->
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