---
title: suspense — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «suspense» in the school dictionary: Suspense is the excited or worried feeling of waiting to find out what will happen next. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# suspense

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Suspense, writer, you, story, Short sentences, us · **What happens:** be, wait, find out, happen, build, want · **To what, where:** excited feeling, tension, me, suspense, us, breath · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Suspense is the excited or worried feeling of waiting to find out what will happen next.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suspense:m1:1
# text = Suspense is the excited or worried feeling of waiting to find out what will happen next.
1	Suspense	suspense	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
4	excited	excited	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	worried	worried	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	_
7	feeling	feeling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
9	waiting	wait	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	nmod	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	find	find	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	advcl	_	_
12	out	out	ADP	RP	_	11	compound:prt	_	_
13	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	15	nsubj	_	_
14	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	15	aux	_	_
15	happen	happen	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	ccomp	_	_
16	next	next	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Suspense | the excited feeling |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **wait** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **find out** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn learn-14-2-1 «NP V what S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 4 | **happen** | future |  |  |  |  |  | next *property* | vn occur-48.3-1 «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}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In stories and films, suspense is the tension a writer builds on purpose so that you want to keep reading.

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suspense:m2:1
# text = In stories and films, suspense is the tension a writer builds on purpose so that you want to keep reading.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	stories	story	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	obl	_	_
3	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	films	film	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
6	suspense	suspense	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	tension	tension	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	writer	writer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
12	builds	build	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
13	on	on	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	purpose	purpose	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	_
15	so	so	SCONJ	IN	ExtPos=SCONJ	18	mark	_	_
16	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	15	fixed	_	_
17	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	18	nsubj	_	_
18	want	want	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	advcl	_	_
19	to	to	PART	TO	_	20	mark	_	_
20	keep	keep	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	18	xcomp	_	_
21	reading	read	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	20	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	12	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | suspense | the tension |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **build** | present | a writer |  |  |  |  | on purpose; in stories and films and the tension | vn calibratable\_cos-45.6.1 «NP.patient V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient in story=Attribute |
| 3 | **want** | present | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot clause=Theme |
| 4 | **keep** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 5 | **read** | gerund | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The story was full of suspense.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suspense:x1:1
# text = The story was full of suspense.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	full	full	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	suspense	suspense	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the story |  |  |  |  | of suspense; full *property* | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Don't keep me in suspense — who won?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suspense:x2:1
# text = Don't keep me in suspense — who won?
1	Do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	keep	keep	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	obj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	suspense	suspense	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	—	-	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
8	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	9	nsubj	_	_
9	won	win	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **keep** | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* | me |  | suspense |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent i=Theme in suspense=Location |
| 2 | **win** | past | suspense |  |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Short sentences can build suspense. Then silence. A creak.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Short sentences can build suspense.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suspense:x3:1
# text = Short sentences can build suspense.
1	Short	short	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	sentences	sentence	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	build	build	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	suspense	suspense	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **build** | can | Short sentences | suspense |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset suspense=Product |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* Then silence.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suspense:x3:2
# text = Then silence.
1	Then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	2	advmod	_	_
2	silence	silence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

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

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 3:* A creak.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suspense:x3:3
# text = A creak.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	creak	creak	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The suspense is killing me!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suspense:x4:1
# text = The suspense is killing me!
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	suspense	suspense	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	killing	kill	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **kill** | present · progressive | the suspense | me |  |  |  |  | vn remove-10.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent i=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The film's suspense made us hold our breath.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suspense:x5:1
# text = The film's suspense made us hold our breath.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	film	film	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	suspense	suspense	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	5	obj	_	_
7	hold	hold	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	xcomp	_	_
8	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	breath	breath	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past | the film's suspense | us |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **hold** | infinitive | us *not said here* | our breath |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent breath=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The author ends each chapter in suspense with a cliffhanger.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suspense:x6:1
# text = The author ends each chapter in suspense with a cliffhanger.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	author	author	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	ends	end	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	5	det	_	_
5	chapter	chapter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	suspense	suspense	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	cliffhanger	cliffhanger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **end** | present | the author | each chapter |  | suspense with a cliffhanger |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V NP.eventuality»: agent=Subeventuality chapter=Eventuality |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We waited in suspense for our test results.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suspense:x7:1
# text = We waited in suspense for our test results.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	waited	wait	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	suspense	suspense	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
7	test	test	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	results	result	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wait** | past | We |  |  | suspense |  | for our test results | vn exist-47.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in suspense=Location |
| 2 | **result** |  | our |  |  |  |  |  | nom result «phenomenon transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
‘Ah, Princess!’ said the Queen, ‘don’t keep this poor Percinet in suspense any longer.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suspense:x8:1
# text = ‘Ah, Princess!’ said the Queen, ‘don’t keep this poor Percinet in suspense any longer.
1	‘	'	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Ah	ah	INTJ	UH	_	4	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	Princess	princess	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	’	'	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
7	said	say	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	Queen	Queen	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	14	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
11	‘	'	PUNCT	``	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	14	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	n’t	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	14	advmod	_	_
14	keep	keep	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	ccomp	_	_
15	this	this	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	17	nsubj	_	_
16	poor	poor	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	amod	_	_
17	Percinet	Percinet	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	14	obj	_	_
18	in	in	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
19	suspense	suspense	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	_
20	any	any	ADV	RB	_	21	advmod	_	_
21	longer	long	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	14	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | Princess |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **not** **keep** | infinitive · do-support | the Queen | poor Percinet |  | suspense |  | long *property* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent percinet=Theme in suspense=Location |

<!-- 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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