---
title: substrate — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «substrate» in the school dictionary: A substrate is the surface or material that something grows on or lives on, such as soil, sand, rock or a fish tank's gravel. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# substrate

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** substrate, something, enzyme, Mussels, We, Mushrooms · **What happens:** be, grow on, live on, act on, change, build on · **To what, where:** surface, material, substance, chemistry, base layer, something

<!-- .vabout -->
«substrate» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings 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: [substrate in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/substrate.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: science — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A substrate is the surface or material that something grows on or lives on, such as soil, sand, rock or a fish tank's gravel.

<!-- fold The tree, 25 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:substrate:m1:1
# text = A substrate is the surface or material that something grows on or lives on, such as soil, sand, rock or a fish tank's gravel.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	substrate	substrate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	surface	surface	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	material	material	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
8	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
9	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	10	nsubj	_	_
10	grows	grow	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	acl:relcl	_	_
11	on	on	ADP	RP	_	10	compound:prt	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	lives	live	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	conj	_	_
14	on	on	ADP	RP	_	13	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
16	such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|ExtPos=ADP	18	case	_	_
17	as	as	ADP	IN	_	16	fixed	_	_
18	soil	soil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	20	punct	_	_
20	sand	sand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	22	punct	_	_
22	rock	rock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	parataxis	_	_
23	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	28	cc	_	_
24	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	26	det	_	_
25	fish	fish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	26	compound	_	_
26	tank	tank	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	28	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	's	's	PART	POS	_	26	case	_	_
28	gravel	gravel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a substrate | the surface or material |  |  |  | such soil and sand | tree rules |
| 2 | **grow on** | present | something | material *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location material=Theme |
| 3 | **live on** | present | something *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn exist-47.1-1 «NP V»: 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}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: science — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In chemistry and biology, a substrate is the substance that an enzyme acts on and changes.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:substrate:m2:1
# text = In chemistry and biology, a substrate is the substance that an enzyme acts on and changes.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	chemistry	chemistry	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	_
3	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	biology	biology	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	substrate	substrate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	substance	substance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
11	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	14	mark	_	_
12	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	enzyme	enzyme	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nsubj	_	_
14	acts	act	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	advcl	_	_
15	on	on	ADP	RP	_	14	compound:prt	_	_
16	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
17	changes	change	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a substrate | the substance |  | chemistry and biology |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **act on** | present | a enzyme |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **change** | present | a enzyme *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: technology — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A substrate is a base layer that something else is built on, like the material under a computer chip.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:substrate:m3:1
# text = A substrate is a base layer that something else is built on, like the material under a computer chip.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	substrate	substrate	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	base	base	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	layer	layer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
8	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	11	nsubj:pass	_	_
9	else	else	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
10	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux:pass	_	_
11	built	build	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	advcl	_	_
12	on	on	ADP	RP	_	11	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
14	like	like	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	material	material	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	_
17	under	under	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
18	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
19	computer	computer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	compound	_	_
20	chip	chip	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a substrate | a base layer |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **build on** | present · passive |  | something |  |  |  | like the material under a computer chip | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: subject=Product |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The stream's substrate was gravel and pebbles.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:substrate:x1:1
# text = The stream's substrate was gravel and pebbles.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	stream	stream	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	substrate	substrate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
5	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
6	gravel	gravel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	pebbles	pebble	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | the stream's substrate | gravel and pebbles |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mussels attach themselves to a rocky substrate.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:substrate:x2:1
# text = Mussels attach themselves to a rocky substrate.
1	Mussels	mussel	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	attach	attach	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	themselves	themselves	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	2	obj	_	_
4	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	rocky	rocky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	substrate	substrate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **attach** | present | Mussels | Mussels *= mussel* |  |  |  | to a rocky substrate | vn shake-22.3-2-1 «NP V NP PP»: agent=Agent themselves=Patient to substrate=Co-Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We put sand as the substrate in the fish tank.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:substrate:x3:1
# text = We put sand as the substrate in the fish tank.
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	sand	sand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	as	as	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	substrate	substrate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	fish	fish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	tank	tank	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **put** | past | We | sand |  | the fish tank |  | as the substrate | vn put-9.1-2 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent sand=Theme in tank=Destination |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mushrooms grow on a substrate of wood or straw.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:substrate:x4:1
# text = Mushrooms grow on a substrate of wood or straw.
1	Mushrooms	mushroom	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	grow	grow	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	on	on	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	substrate	substrate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	wood	wood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	straw	straw	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **grow** | present | Mushrooms |  |  | a substrate of wood or straw |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme on substrate=Location |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Each enzyme works on its own substrate.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:substrate:x5:1
# text = Each enzyme works on its own substrate.
1	Each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	2	det	_	_
2	enzyme	enzyme	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	works	work	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
6	own	own	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	substrate	substrate	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 | **work** | present | each enzyme |  |  |  |  | on enzyme's own substrate | vn employment-95.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent on substrate=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The gecko's tank needs a safe substrate.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:substrate:x6:1
# text = The gecko's tank needs a safe substrate.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	gecko	gecko	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	tank	tank	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	needs	need	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	safe	safe	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	substrate	substrate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **need** | present | the gecko's tank | a safe substrate |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Pivot substrate=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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