---
title: subtract — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «subtract» in the school dictionary: To subtract is to take one number away from another to find what is left or the difference. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# subtract

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Student, you, We, many, Mum, coach · **What happens:** subtract, be, find, leave, mean, take away · **To what, where:** something, it, group, 6, 5, 3 · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«subtract» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 8 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: [subtract in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/subtract.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To subtract is to take one number away from another to find what is left or the difference.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:subtract:m1:1
# text = To subtract is to take one number away from another to find what is left or the difference.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	subtract	subtract	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	advcl	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	take	take	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	7	nummod	_	_
7	number	number	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	away	away	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
9	from	from	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	another	another	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	8	obl	_	_
11	to	to	PART	TO	_	12	mark	_	_
12	find	find	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	advcl	_	_
13	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	15	nsubj:pass	_	_
14	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	15	aux:pass	_	_
15	left	leave	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	12	ccomp	_	_
16	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	difference	difference	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **subtract** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn multiply-108-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | away, take *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **find** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn declare-29.4-1-1 «NP V what S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 4 | **leave** | present · passive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: subject=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 -->
To subtract something can also mean to take it away from a group or an amount.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:subtract:m2:1
# text = To subtract something can also mean to take it away from a group or an amount.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	subtract	subtract	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	csubj	_	_
3	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
5	also	also	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	take	take	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	xcomp	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	_
10	away	away	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
11	from	from	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	group	group	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
14	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
15	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	amount	amount	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **subtract** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn multiply-108-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Theme |
| 2 | **mean** | can |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **take away** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  | it |  | a group or a amount |  | away *property* | vn remove-10.1 «NP V NP PP»: agent=Agent it=Theme from group=Initial\_Location |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Student: I subtract: 6 (because of «give», «left»).

<!-- fold The tree, 8 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:subtract:x1:1
# text = Student: I subtract: 6 (because of «give», «left»).
1	Student	student	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	4	punct	_	_
3	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	subtract	subtract	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	6	punct	_	_
6	6	6	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	4	obj	_	_
7	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	fixed	_	_
10	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	give	give	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
14	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	left	leave	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	11	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **subtract** | present | Student | 6 |  |  |  |  | vn multiply-108-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent 6=Theme |
| 2 | **give** *in a quote* | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn break\_down-45.8 «NP V»: agent=Patient |
| 3 | **leave** *in a quote* | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Subtract 5 from 12.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:subtract:x2:1
# text = Subtract 5 from 12.
1	Subtract	subtract	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	5	5	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	1	obj	_	_
3	from	from	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	12	12	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **subtract** | imperative | you *not said here* | 5 |  |  |  | from 12 | vn multiply-108-2 «NP V NP PP.co-theme»: agent=Agent 5=Theme from 12=Co-Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We subtract to find how many more Tom has than Ben.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:subtract:x3:1
# text = We subtract to find how many more Tom has than Ben.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	subtract	subtract	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	find	find	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
5	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	6	advmod	_	_
6	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	nsubj	_	_
7	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	9	advmod	_	_
8	Tom	Tom	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
9	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	ccomp	_	_
10	than	than	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	Ben	Ben	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **subtract** | present | We |  |  |  |  |  | vn multiply-108-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **find** | to-infinitive | We *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn declare-29.4-1-1 «NP V what S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 3 | **have** | present | many |  |  |  |  | than Ben | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
If you subtract 3 from 10, you get 7.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:subtract:x4:1
# text = If you subtract 3 from 10, you get 7.
1	If	if	SCONJ	IN	_	3	mark	_	_
2	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	subtract	subtract	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	advcl	_	_
4	3	3	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	3	obj	_	_
5	from	from	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	10	10	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
8	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	get	get	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
10	7	7	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **subtract** *a condition, not said to happen* | present | you | 3 |  |  |  | from 10 | vn multiply-108-2 «NP V NP PP.co-theme»: agent=Agent 3=Theme from 10=Co-Theme |
| 2 | **get** | present | you | 7 |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer 7=Stimulus |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mum subtracted the cost of the milk from 20 dollars to find her change.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:subtract:x5:1
# text = Mum subtracted the cost of the milk from 20 dollars to find her change.
1	Mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	subtracted	subtract	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	cost	cost	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	milk	milk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
8	from	from	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	20	20	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	10	nummod	_	_
10	dollars	dollar	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
11	to	to	PART	TO	_	12	mark	_	_
12	find	find	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
13	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	14	nmod:poss	_	_
14	change	change	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **subtract** | past | Mum | the cost of the milk |  |  |  | from 20 dollars | vn multiply-108-2 «NP V NP PP.co-theme»: agent=Agent cost=Theme from dollar=Co-Theme |
| 2 | **find** | to-infinitive | Mum *not said here* | Mum's change |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent change=Topic |
| 3 | **cost** |  |  | the milk |  |  |  |  | nom cost «possession transitive»: of=patient |
| 4 | **change** |  | Mum |  |  |  |  |  | nom change «event intransitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To check a subtraction, add the answer to the smaller number.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:subtract:x6:1
# text = To check a subtraction, add the answer to the smaller number.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	check	check	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	subtraction	subtraction	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
6	add	add	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	answer	answer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	to	to	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	smaller	small	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	12	amod	_	_
12	number	number	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **check** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* | a subtraction |  |  |  |  | vn assessment-34.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent subtraction=Theme |
| 2 | **add** *speech: assert* | imperative | you *not said here* | the answer |  |  |  | to the smaller number | vn mix-22.1-2 «NP V NP PP.co-patient»: agent=Agent answer=Patient to number=Co-Patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The coach subtracted one point for a foul.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:subtract:x7:1
# text = The coach subtracted one point for a foul.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	coach	coach	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	subtracted	subtract	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	point	point	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	foul	foul	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **subtract** | past | the coach | one point |  |  |  | for a foul | vn multiply-108-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent point=Theme |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Subtraction is the opposite of addition.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:subtract:x8:1
# text = Subtraction is the opposite of addition.
1	Subtraction	subtraction	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	opposite	opposite	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	addition	addition	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Subtraction | the opposite |  |  |  | of addition | 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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