---
title: surely — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «surely» in the school dictionary: Surely means for certain, with no doubt. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# surely

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** you, something, it, he, bag, statement · **What happens:** mean, use, think, be, not be, know · **To what, where:** that, many, 10 coins, 5 more apples, rain, race · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Surely means for certain, with no doubt.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:surely:m1:1
# text = Surely means for certain, with no doubt.
1	Surely	surely	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	for	for	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	certain	certain	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	8	det	_	_
8	doubt	doubt	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  | for certain; with no doubt; surely *property* | vn representation-110.1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Pivot for certain=Attribute |

<!-- .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 -->
Surely is often used when you think something must be true and are surprised it might not be: surely you know that!

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:surely:m2:1
# text = Surely is often used when you think something must be true and are surprised it might not be: surely you know that!
1	Surely	surely	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
3	often	often	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	7	advmod	_	_
6	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	think	think	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
8	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	11	nsubj	_	_
9	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
10	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	cop	_	_
11	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	ccomp	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
13	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	cop	_	_
14	surprised	surprised	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	conj	_	_
15	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	18	nsubj	_	_
16	might	might	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	18	aux	_	_
17	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	18	advmod	_	_
18	be	be	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	22	punct	_	_
20	surely	surely	ADV	RB	_	22	advmod	_	_
21	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	22	nsubj	_	_
22	know	know	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
23	that	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	22	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | present · passive |  |  |  |  |  | often, surely *property* | vn eat-39.1 «NP V» |
| 2 | **think** *speech: other* | present | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn consider-29.9-2 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 3 | **is** | must | something |  |  |  |  | true *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **is** | present | something *not said here* |  |  |  |  | surprised *property* | tree rules |
| 5 | **not** **be** | might | it |  |  |  |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 6 | **know** | present | you | that |  |  |  | surely *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Experiencer that=Stimulus |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Slowly but surely means slowly but steadily.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:surely:m3:1
# text = Slowly but surely means slowly but steadily.
1	Slowly	slowly	ADV	RB	_	4	nsubj	_	_
2	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
3	surely	surely	ADV	RB	_	1	conj	_	_
4	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	slowly	slowly	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
6	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	steadily	steadily	ADV	RB	_	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  | slowly *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
How many must you pick to surely get 2 blue?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:surely:x1:1
# text = How many must you pick to surely get 2 blue?
1	How	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	2	advmod	_	_
2	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	obj	_	_
3	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
4	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
5	pick	pick	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
7	surely	surely	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	get	get	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	advcl	_	_
9	2	2	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	10	nummod	_	_
10	blue	blue	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pick** | must | you | many |  |  |  |  | vn chew-39.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent many=Patient |
| 2 | **get** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | blue, surely *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Surely he has more than 10 coins.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:surely:x2:1
# text = Surely he has more than 10 coins.
1	Surely	surely	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
2	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp|ExtPos=ADV	6	advmod	_	_
5	than	than	ADP	IN	_	4	fixed	_	_
6	10	10	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	7	nummod	_	_
7	coins	coin	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	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 | he | 10 coins |  |  |  | surely *property* | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent coin=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The bag will surely hold 5 more apples.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:surely:x3:1
# text = The bag will surely hold 5 more apples.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	bag	bag	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
4	surely	surely	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	hold	hold	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	5	5	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	8	nummod	_	_
7	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	8	amod	_	_
8	apples	apple	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hold** | future | the bag | 5 more apples |  |  |  | surely *property* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent apple=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Which statement is surely true?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:surely:x4:1
# text = Which statement is surely true?
1	Which	which	DET	WDT	PronType=Int	2	det	_	_
2	statement	statement	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	surely	surely	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | which statement |  |  |  |  | surely, true *property* | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Surely you don't want to go out in this rain!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:surely:x5:1
# text = Surely you don't want to go out in this rain!
1	Surely	surely	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
2	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
3	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	5	advmod	_	_
5	want	want	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	go	go	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	xcomp	_	_
8	out	out	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	11	det	_	_
11	rain	rain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **want** | present · do-support | you |  |  |  |  | surely *property* | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot clause=Theme |
| 2 | **go out** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  | this rain |  | out *property* | vn interact-36.6 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Slowly but surely, the tortoise won the race.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:surely:x6:1
# text = Slowly but surely, the tortoise won the race.
1	Slowly	slowly	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
2	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
3	surely	surely	ADV	RB	_	1	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	tortoise	tortoise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	won	win	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	race	race	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **win** | past | the tortoise | the race |  |  |  | slowly *property* | vn succeed-74-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent race=Eventuality |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
If we leave now, we will surely be on time.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:surely:x7:1
# text = If we leave now, we will surely be on time.
1	If	if	SCONJ	IN	_	3	mark	_	_
2	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	leave	leave	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	advcl	_	_
4	now	now	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	3	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
6	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
7	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
8	surely	surely	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
9	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	cop	_	_
10	on	on	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **leave** *a condition, not said to happen* | present | we |  |  |  | now |  | vn escape-51.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | future | we |  |  |  | on time | surely *property* | tree rules |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Surely not! Did he really eat ten pancakes?

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Surely not!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:surely:x8:1
# text = Surely not!
1	Surely	surely	ADV	RB	_	0	root	_	_
2	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	1	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* Did he really eat ten pancakes?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:surely:x8:2
# text = Did he really eat ten pancakes?
1	Did	do	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
3	really	really	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	eat	eat	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	parataxis	_	_
5	ten	ten	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	6	nummod	_	_
6	pancakes	pancake	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | past |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **eat** | present | he | ten pancakes |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent pancake=Patient |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Surely they will not overlook you."

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:surely:x9:1
# text = Surely they will not overlook you."
1	Surely	surely	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
2	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
3	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
4	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	5	advmod	_	_
5	overlook	overlook	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **overlook** | future | they | you |  |  |  | surely *property* | vn neglect-75.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent you=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 -->

<!-- pn -->
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