---
title: subsoil — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «subsoil» in the school dictionary: Subsoil is the layer of soil under the top layer (topsoil); it has less humus, is often harder, and lies above the rock. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# subsoil

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Subsoil, Deep roots, builders, garden, Worms, you · **What happens:** be, have, lie, grow down, dig, draw · **To what, where:** layer, top layer, less humus, rock, colour, subsoil

<!-- .vabout -->
«subsoil» in the school dictionary: its meaning for a pupil and its 6 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: [subsoil in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/subsoil.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Subsoil is the layer of soil under the top layer (topsoil); it has less humus, is often harder, and lies above the rock.

<!-- fold The tree, 23 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:subsoil:m1:1
# text = Subsoil is the layer of soil under the top layer (topsoil); it has less humus, is often harder, and lies above the rock.
1	Subsoil	subsoil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	layer	layer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	soil	soil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
7	under	under	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	top	top	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	layer	layer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
11	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	topsoil	topsoil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	16	punct	_	_
15	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	nsubj	_	_
16	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	parataxis	_	_
17	less	less	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	18	amod	_	_
18	humus	humus	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	22	punct	_	_
20	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	22	cop	_	_
21	often	often	ADV	RB	_	22	advmod	_	_
22	harder	hard	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	16	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	25	punct	_	_
24	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	25	cc	_	_
25	lies	lie	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	16	conj	_	_
26	above	above	ADP	IN	_	28	case	_	_
27	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	28	det	_	_
28	rock	rock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	25	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Subsoil | the layer |  | the top layer |  | of soil | tree rules |
| 2 | **have** | present | Subsoil | less humus |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent humus=Patient |
| 3 | **is** | present | Subsoil *not said here* |  |  |  |  | hard, often *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **lie** | present | Subsoil *not said here* |  |  | the rock |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent above rock=Location |

<!-- .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 -->
The subsoil is lighter in colour than the topsoil.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:subsoil:x1:1
# text = The subsoil is lighter in colour than the topsoil.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	subsoil	subsoil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	lighter	light	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	0	root	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	colour	colour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
7	than	than	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	topsoil	topsoil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | the subsoil |  |  | colour |  | than the topsoil; light *property* | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Deep roots grow down into the subsoil.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:subsoil:x2:1
# text = Deep roots grow down into the subsoil.
1	Deep	deep	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	roots	root	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	grow	grow	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	down	down	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
5	into	into	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	subsoil	subsoil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **grow down** | present | Deep roots |  |  |  |  | into the subsoil *result*; down *property* | vn become-109.1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient into subsoil=Result |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The builders dug through the subsoil to the rock.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:subsoil:x3:1
# text = The builders dug through the subsoil to the rock.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	builders	builder	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	dug	dig	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	through	through	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	subsoil	subsoil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	rock	rock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **dig** | past | the builders |  |  | the subsoil |  | to the rock | vn hunt-35.1 «NP V PP.theme PP.location»: agent=Agent through subsoil=Location |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Our garden has a heavy clay subsoil.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:subsoil:x4:1
# text = Our garden has a heavy clay subsoil.
1	Our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	garden	garden	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
5	heavy	heavy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
6	clay	clay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	subsoil	subsoil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | Our garden | a heavy clay subsoil |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent subsoil=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Worms are fewer in the subsoil than in the topsoil.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:subsoil:x5:1
# text = Worms are fewer in the subsoil than in the topsoil.
1	Worms	worm	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	fewer	few	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	0	root	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	subsoil	subsoil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	than	than	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	topsoil	topsoil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Worms |  |  | the subsoil |  | than the topsoil; few *property* | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Draw the layers: topsoil, subsoil and bedrock.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:subsoil:x6:1
# text = Draw the layers: topsoil, subsoil and bedrock.
1	Draw	draw	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	layers	layer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	5	punct	_	_
5	topsoil	topsoil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
7	subsoil	subsoil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	bedrock	bedrock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **draw** | imperative | you *not said here* | the layers |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent layer=Theme |

<!-- 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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