---
title: sort — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «sort» in the school dictionary: A sort is a kind or type of something. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# sort

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** sort, you, We, sorts, I, Mum · **What happens:** be, sort, sort out, tidy up, mean, like · **To what, where:** kind, things, groups, something, little, music

<!-- .vabout -->
«sort» in the school dictionary: its 4 meanings for a pupil and its 9 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: [sort in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/sort.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A sort is a kind or type of something.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sort:m1:1
# text = A sort is a kind or type of something.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	sort	sort	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	kind	kind	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	type	type	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	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** | present | a sort | a kind or type |  |  |  | of something | 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 -->
To sort things is to put them into groups by what they are like, or into an order.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sort:m2:1
# text = To sort things is to put them into groups by what they are like, or into an order.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	sort	sort	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
3	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	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	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	into	into	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	groups	group	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	_
10	by	by	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	6	obl	_	_
12	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
13	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	acl:relcl	_	_
14	like	like	INTJ	UH	_	13	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
16	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
17	into	into	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
18	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	order	order	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sort** | to-infinitive |  | things |  |  |  |  | vn classify-29.10 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent thing=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  | groups |  | into a order; put *property* | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To sort something out is to fix a problem or tidy something up.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sort:m3:1
# text = To sort something out is to fix a problem or tidy something up.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	sort	sort	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	advcl	_	_
3	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	out	out	ADP	RP	_	2	compound:prt	_	_
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	fix	fix	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	problem	problem	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	tidy	tidy	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	_
12	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	11	obj	_	_
13	up	up	ADP	RP	_	11	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sort out** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn classify-29.10 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | fix *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **tidy up** | infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Sort of» (informal) means a little, or in some way.

<!-- fold The tree, 10 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sort:m4:1
# text = «Sort of» (informal) means a little, or in some way.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Sort	sort	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
5	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	informal	informal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	6	punct	_	_
8	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
13	in	in	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	15	det	_	_
15	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Sort | a little |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent little=Topic |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
What sort of music do you like?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sort:x1:1
# text = What sort of music do you like?
1	What	what	DET	WDT	PronType=Int	2	det	_	_
2	sort	sort	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	music	music	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
5	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
6	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	like	like	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **like** | present · do-support | what sort of music |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot |
| 2 | **sort** |  |  | music |  |  |  |  | nom sort «cognition transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Sort the shapes into triangles and squares.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sort:x2:1
# text = Sort the shapes into triangles and squares.
1	Sort	sort	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	shapes	shape	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obj	_	_
4	into	into	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	triangles	triangle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obl	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	squares	square	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sort** | imperative | you *not said here* | the shapes |  |  |  | into triangles and squares *goal* | vn classify-29.10 «NP V NP PP.goal»: agent=Agent shape=Theme into triangle=Goal |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We sorted the recycling into paper, glass and cans.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sort:x3:1
# text = We sorted the recycling into paper, glass and cans.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	sorted	sort	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	recycling	recycling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	into	into	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	paper	paper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
8	glass	glass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	cans	can	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sort** | past | We | the recycling |  |  |  | into paper and glass and cans *goal* | vn classify-29.10 «NP V NP PP.goal»: agent=Agent recycling=Theme into paper=Goal |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Sort these numbers from smallest to largest.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sort:x4:1
# text = Sort these numbers from smallest to largest.
1	Sort	sort	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
2	these	this	DET	DT	Number=Plur|PronType=Dem	3	det	_	_
3	numbers	number	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
4	from	from	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	smallest	small	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	0	root	_	_
6	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	largest	large	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
There were all sorts of animals at the farm.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sort:x5:1
# text = There were all sorts of animals at the farm.
1	There	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	2	expl	_	_
2	were	be	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	4	det	_	_
4	sorts	sort	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	animals	animal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	_
7	at	at	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	farm	farm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **be** | past | all sorts of animals at the farm |  |  | there |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **sort** |  |  | animals at the farm |  |  |  |  | nom sort «cognition transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Can you sort out this mess before dinner?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sort:x6:1
# text = Can you sort out this mess before dinner?
1	Can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
2	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	sort	sort	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	out	out	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	_
5	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	6	det	_	_
6	mess	mess	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	before	before	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	dinner	dinner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sort out** | can | you | this mess |  |  | before dinner |  | vn classify-29.10 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent mess=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I'm sort of tired, but I can keep going.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sort:x7:1
# text = I'm sort of tired, but I can keep going.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	'm	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	sort	sort	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	tired	tired	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
7	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
8	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
9	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
10	keep	keep	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	conj	_	_
11	going	go	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	10	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | I | sort |  |  |  | of tired | tree rules |
| 2 | **keep** | can | I |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **go** | gerund | I *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mum and Dad sorted out the argument.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sort:x8:1
# text = Mum and Dad sorted out the argument.
1	Mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
3	Dad	Dad	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	1	conj	_	_
4	sorted	sort	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	out	out	ADP	RP	_	4	compound:prt	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	argument	argument	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sort out** | past | Mum and Dad | the argument |  |  |  |  | vn classify-29.10 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent argument=Theme |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"Who sowed this sort of corn?"

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sort:x9:1
# text = "Who sowed this sort of corn?"
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	3	nsubj	_	_
3	sowed	sow	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	5	det	_	_
5	sort	sort	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	corn	corn	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sow** *in a quote* | past |  | this sort of corn |  |  |  |  | vn spray-9.7-1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent sort=Theme |
| 2 | **sort** *in a quote* |  |  | corn |  |  |  |  | nom sort «cognition transitive»: of=patient |

<!-- 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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