---
title: sparrow — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «sparrow» in the school dictionary: A sparrow is a small, common, brown and grey bird that lives near houses, gardens and towns and eats seeds and insects. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# sparrow

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** sparrow, small common bird, Sparrows, house sparrow, We, They · **What happens:** be, live, eat, hop, put out, chatter · **To what, where:** small common bird, houses, seeds, sparrow, playground, crumbs

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A sparrow is a small, common, brown and grey bird that lives near houses, gardens and towns and eats seeds and insects.

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sparrow:m1:1
# text = A sparrow is a small, common, brown and grey bird that lives near houses, gardens and towns and eats seeds and insects.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	sparrow	sparrow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
5	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
7	common	common	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
9	brown	brown	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	conj	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	grey	grey	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	conj	_	_
12	bird	bird	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
13	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	14	nsubj	_	_
14	lives	live	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	acl:relcl	_	_
15	near	near	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
16	houses	house	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
18	gardens	garden	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	conj	_	_
19	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	20	cc	_	_
20	towns	town	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	conj	_	_
21	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	22	cc	_	_
22	eats	eat	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	conj	_	_
23	seeds	seed	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	22	obj	_	_
24	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	25	cc	_	_
25	insects	insect	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	23	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	12	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a sparrow | a small common bird |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **live** | present | a small common bird |  |  | houses and gardens and towns |  |  | vn exist-47.1-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme near house=Location |
| 3 | **eat** | present | a small common bird *not said here* | seeds and insects |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent seed=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.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A sparrow hopped across the playground.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sparrow:x1:1
# text = A sparrow hopped across the playground.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	sparrow	sparrow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	hopped	hop	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	across	across	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	playground	playground	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hop** | participle |  | a sparrow *not said here* |  | the playground |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme across playground=Trajectory |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Sparrows were eating crumbs under the picnic table.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sparrow:x2:1
# text = Sparrows were eating crumbs under the picnic table.
1	Sparrows	sparrow	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	eating	eat	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	crumbs	crumb	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	under	under	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	picnic	picnic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	table	table	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **eat** | past · progressive | Sparrows | crumbs |  | the picnic table |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent crumb=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The house sparrow is a small brown bird.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sparrow:x3:1
# text = The house sparrow is a small brown bird.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	house	house	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	sparrow	sparrow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
6	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
7	brown	brown	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	bird	bird	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the house sparrow | a small brown bird |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We put out seeds for the sparrows in winter.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sparrow:x4:1
# text = We put out seeds for the sparrows in winter.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	put	put	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	out	out	ADP	RP	_	2	compound:prt	_	_
4	seeds	seed	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	sparrows	sparrow	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	winter	winter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **put out** | past | We | seeds |  |  | winter | for the sparrows | vn invest-13.5.4-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent seed=Goal |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A flock of sparrows chattered in the hedge.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sparrow:x5:1
# text = A flock of sparrows chattered in the hedge.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	flock	flock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	sparrows	sparrow	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nmod	_	_
5	chattered	chatter	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	acl	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	hedge	hedge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **chatter** | participle |  | sparrows *not said here* |  | the hedge |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in hedge=Location |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Sparrows build nests under roofs.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sparrow:x6:1
# text = Sparrows build nests under roofs.
1	Sparrows	sparrow	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	build	build	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	nests	nest	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
4	under	under	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	roofs	roof	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **build** | present | Sparrows | nests |  | roofs |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset nest=Product |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"They are sparrows, and good creatures.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sparrow:x7:1
# text = "They are sparrows, and good creatures.
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	They	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	sparrows	sparrow	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
7	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	creatures	creature	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** *in a quote* | present | They | sparrows and good creatures |  |  |  |  | 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 -->

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