---
title: story — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «story» in the school dictionary: A story tells about things that happen, true or made up. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# story

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** story, things, Ana, building, He, Dad · **What happens:** tell, happen, make up, be, mean, not tell · **To what, where:** news report, one floor, lie, stories, 4 stories, 12 pages · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A story tells about things that happen, true or made up.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:story:m1:1
# text = A story tells about things that happen, true or made up.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	tells	tell	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	about	about	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
6	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	happen	happen	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
9	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	advmod	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	9	conj	_	_
12	up	up	ADP	RP	_	11	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | present | a story |  |  |  |  | about things | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent about thing=Topic |
| 2 | **happen** | present | things |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **make up** | participle | things *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprise-107.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme |

<!-- .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 -->
A story is a news report.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:story:m2:1
# text = A story is a news report.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	news	news	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	report	report	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

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

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A story (UK: storey) is one floor or level of a building.

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:story:m3:1
# text = A story (UK: storey) is one floor or level of a building.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
3	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	UK	UK	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	6	punct	_	_
6	storey	storey	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	6	punct	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
9	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	10	nummod	_	_
10	floor	floor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
11	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	level	level	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	conj	_	_
13	of	of	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	building	building	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a story | one floor or level of a building |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«A story» can also mean a lie told by a child: «Don't tell stories».

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:story:m4:1
# text = «A story» can also mean a lie told by a child: «Don't tell stories».
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
5	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
6	also	also	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	lie	lie	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
10	told	tell	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	9	acl	_	_
11	by	by	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	child	child	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	18	punct	_	_
15	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	Do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	18	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	18	advmod	_	_
18	tell	tell	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	7	parataxis	_	_
19	stories	story	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	18	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | can | a story | a lie |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **tell** *speech: assert* | participle |  | a lie *not said here* |  |  |  | by a child | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **not** **tell** *speech: assert* *in a quote* | infinitive · do-support |  | stories |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent story=Recipient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ana read 4 stories before bed.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:story:x1:1
# text = Ana read 4 stories before bed.
1	Ana	Ana	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	read	read	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	4	4	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	4	nummod	_	_
4	stories	story	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	before	before	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	bed	bed	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **read** | past | Ana | 4 stories |  |  | before bed |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent story=Topic |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Each story has 12 pages.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:story:x2:1
# text = Each story has 12 pages.
1	Each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	2	det	_	_
2	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	12	12	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	pages	page	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | each story | 12 pages |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent page=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The building has 20 stories.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:story:x3:1
# text = The building has 20 stories.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	building	building	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	20	20	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	stories	story	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | the building | 20 stories |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent story=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He wrote 3 stories this week.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:story:x4:1
# text = He wrote 3 stories this week.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	wrote	write	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	3	3	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	4	nummod	_	_
4	stories	story	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	6	det	_	_
6	week	week	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write** | past | He | 3 stories |  |  | week |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent story=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dad tells us a story every night.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:story:x5:1
# text = Dad tells us a story every night.
1	Dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	tells	tell	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	iobj	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	7	det	_	_
7	night	night	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | present | Dad | a story | us |  | night |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent we=Recipient story=Topic |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Every good story has a beginning, a middle and an end.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:story:x6:1
# text = Every good story has a beginning, a middle and an end.
1	Every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	3	det	_	_
2	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	beginning	beginning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	middle	middle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
11	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	end	end	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | every good story | a beginning and a middle and a end |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent beginning=Patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Is that a true story or made up?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:story:x7:1
# text = Is that a true story or made up?
1	Is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
2	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	acl	_	_
8	up	up	ADP	RP	_	7	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present |  | a true story |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **make up** | participle |  | a true story *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn comprise-107.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Each story of the tower is 3 meters tall.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:story:x8:1
# text = Each story of the tower is 3 meters tall.
1	Each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	2	det	_	_
2	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	tower	tower	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
7	3	3	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	8	nummod	_	_
8	meters	meter	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obl:unmarked	_	_
9	tall	tall	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | each story of the tower |  |  |  |  | 3 meters *obl:unmarked*; tall *property* | tree rules |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
And that, madam, is my story.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:story:x9:1
# text = And that, madam, is my story.
1	And	and	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
2	that	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	4	det	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	madam	madam	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
7	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	story	story	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 | that madam | my story |  |  |  |  | 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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