---
title: skillful — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «skillful» in the school dictionary: Skillful means very good at doing something with the hands or the mind, because you have practised or have a gift for it. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# skillful

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Skillful, you, clever person, She, skillful fisher, this · **What happens:** mean, do, practise, have, describe, find · **To what, where:** something, gift, clever person, way, trouble, skillful painter

<!-- .vabout -->
«skillful» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 4 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: [skillful in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/skillful.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Skillful means very good at doing something with the hands or the mind, because you have practised or have a gift for it.

<!-- fold The tree, 23 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:skillful:m1:1
# text = Skillful means very good at doing something with the hands or the mind, because you have practised or have a gift for it.
1	Skillful	skillful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	very	very	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	_
5	at	at	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
6	doing	do	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	advcl	_	_
7	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	6	obj	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	hands	hand	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nmod	_	_
11	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	mind	mind	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
15	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	18	mark	_	_
16	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	18	nsubj	_	_
17	have	have	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	18	aux	_	_
18	practised	practise	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	2	parataxis	_	_
19	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	20	cc	_	_
20	have	have	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	18	conj	_	_
21	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
22	gift	gift	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	obj	_	_
23	for	for	ADP	IN	_	24	case	_	_
24	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	20	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Skillful |  |  |  |  | good *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **do** | gerund | Skillful *not said here* | something |  |  |  | with the hands or the mind | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Eventuality |
| 3 | **practise** | present · perfect | you |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **have** | infinitive | you *not said here* | a gift |  |  |  | for gift | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent gift=Patient |

<!-- .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: old use — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Skillful can describe a clever person who can find a way out of trouble.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:skillful:m2:1
# text = Skillful can describe a clever person who can find a way out of trouble.
1	Skillful	skillful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	reparandum	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	describe	describe	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	clever	clever	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	9	nsubj	_	_
8	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
9	find	find	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	acl:relcl	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
12	out	out	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	of	of	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	trouble	trouble	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **describe** | can |  | a clever person |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent person=Theme |
| 2 | **find** | can | a clever person | a way |  | trouble |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent way=Topic |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She is a skillful painter.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:skillful:x1:1
# text = She is a skillful painter.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	skillful	skillful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	painter	painter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | She | a skillful painter |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The skillful fisher caught more fish than anyone.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:skillful:x2:1
# text = The skillful fisher caught more fish than anyone.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	skillful	skillful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	fisher	fisher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	caught	catch	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	more	more	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	6	advmod	_	_
6	fish	fish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	than	than	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	anyone	anyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **catch** | past | the skillful fisher | fish |  |  |  | than anyone | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent fish=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
You must be skillful to thread a needle this small.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:skillful:x3:1
# text = You must be skillful to thread a needle this small.
1	You	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	cop	_	_
4	skillful	skillful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	thread	thread	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	advcl	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	needle	needle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	parataxis	_	_
9	this	this	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	8	nsubj	_	_
10	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | must | You |  |  |  |  | skillful *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **needle** |  | this |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mum is skillful at baking bread.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:skillful:x4:1
# text = Mum is skillful at baking bread.
1	Mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	skillful	skillful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	at	at	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	baking	baking	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	bread	bread	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Mum |  |  | baking bread |  | skillful *property* | tree rules |

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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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