---
title: syllable — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «syllable» in the school dictionary: A syllable is a part of a word that has one vowel sound; you can count syllables by clapping a word: «di-no-saur» has three syllables. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# syllable

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** syllable, word, you, di, saur, Elephant · **What happens:** be, have, count, clap, saur, call · **To what, where:** part, one vowel sound, syllables, word, three syllables, single word · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A syllable is a part of a word that has one vowel sound; you can count syllables by clapping a word: «di-no-saur» has three syllables.

<!-- fold The tree, 27 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:syllable:m1:1
# text = A syllable is a part of a word that has one vowel sound; you can count syllables by clapping a word: «di-no-saur» has three syllables.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	syllable	syllable	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	part	part	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
9	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	10	nsubj	_	_
10	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	acl:relcl	_	_
11	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	13	nummod	_	_
12	vowel	vowel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	compound	_	_
13	sound	sound	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	17	punct	_	_
15	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	17	nsubj	_	_
16	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	17	aux	_	_
17	count	count	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	parataxis	_	_
18	syllables	syllable	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	17	obj	_	_
19	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	20	mark	_	_
20	clapping	clap	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	17	advcl	_	_
21	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
22	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	31	punct	_	_
24	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	29	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	di	di	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	29	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	29	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	29	det	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	27	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	saur	saur	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	31	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
30	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	29	punct	_	_
31	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
32	three	three	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	33	nummod	_	_
33	syllables	syllable	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	31	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
34	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a syllable | a part |  |  |  | of a word | tree rules |
| 2 | **have** | present | a word | one vowel sound |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sound=Patient |
| 3 | **count** | can | you | syllables |  |  |  |  | vn multiply-108 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent syllable=Theme |
| 4 | **clap** | gerund | you *not said here* | a word |  |  |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location word=Theme |
| 5 | **saur** *in a quote* |  | di |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 6 | **have** | present | no saur | three syllables |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent syllable=Patient |

<!-- .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 -->
A word with one syllable, like «cat», is called a one-syllable word or monosyllable.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:syllable:m2:1
# text = A word with one syllable, like «cat», is called a one-syllable word or monosyllable.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	with	with	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	syllable	syllable	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
7	like	like	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	cat	cat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
12	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	aux:pass	_	_
13	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
15	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	17	nummod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	syllable	syllable	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	compound	_	_
18	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	xcomp	_	_
19	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	20	cc	_	_
20	monosyllable	monosyllable	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	13	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** | present · passive |  | a word with one syllable |  |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: subject=Recipient |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Not a syllable means not a single word at all.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:syllable:m3:1
# text = Not a syllable means not a single word at all.
1	Not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	syllable	syllable	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	single	single	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
9	at	at	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **mean** | present | a syllable | a single word |  | all |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent word=Topic |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Elephant» has three syllables: el-e-phant.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:syllable:x1:1
# text = «Elephant» has three syllables: el-e-phant.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Elephant	elephant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
4	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	three	three	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	6	nummod	_	_
6	syllables	syllable	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	12	punct	_	_
8	el	el	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	flat	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	e	e	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	phant	phant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | Elephant | three syllables |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent syllable=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Clap the syllables in your name.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:syllable:x2:1
# text = Clap the syllables in your name.
1	Clap	clap	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	syllables	syllable	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obj	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	name	name	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **clap** | imperative | you *not said here* | the syllables |  |  |  | in your name | vn wink-40.3.1 «NP V NP PP.theme»: agent=Agent syllable=Patient in name=Theme |
| 2 | **name** |  | your |  |  |  |  |  | nom name «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Dog» has one syllable.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:syllable:x3:1
# text = «Dog» has one syllable.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
4	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	6	nummod	_	_
6	syllable	syllable	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A haiku has five syllables in the first line.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:syllable:x4:1
# text = A haiku has five syllables in the first line.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	haiku	haiku	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	five	five	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	syllables	syllable	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	first	first	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	9	amod	_	_
9	line	line	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | a haiku | five syllables |  | the first line |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent syllable=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In «banana», the middle syllable is stressed.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:syllable:x5:1
# text = In «banana», the middle syllable is stressed.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	banana	banana	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	middle	middle	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	syllable	syllable	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj:pass	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux:pass	_	_
10	stressed	stress	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stress** | present · passive |  | the middle syllable |  | banana |  |  | vn butter-9.9 «NP V NP.destination»: subject=Destination |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Break long words into syllables to spell them.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:syllable:x6:1
# text = Break long words into syllables to spell them.
1	Break	break	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obj	_	_
4	into	into	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	syllables	syllable	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obl	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	spell	spell	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	advcl	_	_
8	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **break** | imperative | you *not said here* | long words |  |  |  | into syllables *result* | vn break-45.1 «NP V NP PP.result»: agent=Agent word=Patient into syllable=Result |
| 2 | **spell** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* | words *= word* |  |  |  |  | vn pronounce-29.3.1 «NP V NP ADVP»: agent=Agent they=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Hippopotamus» has five syllables.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:syllable:x7:1
# text = «Hippopotamus» has five syllables.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Hippopotamus	Hippopotamus	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
4	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	five	five	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	6	nummod	_	_
6	syllables	syllable	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | Hippopotamus | five syllables |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent syllable=Patient |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He did not answer a syllable, but went on eating, and afterwards returned to his work.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:syllable:x8:1
# text = He did not answer a syllable, but went on eating, and afterwards returned to his work.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	answer	answer	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	syllable	syllable	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
8	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	parataxis	_	_
10	on	on	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
11	eating	eat	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	9	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
13	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
14	afterwards	afterwards	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
15	returned	return	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	conj	_	_
16	to	to	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	18	nmod:poss	_	_
18	work	work	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **answer** *speech: assert* | past · do-support | He | a syllable |  |  |  |  | vn reciprocate-112-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent syllable=Eventuality |
| 2 | **go** | past |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **eat** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **return** | past |  |  |  |  |  | to his work *result*; afterwards *property* | vn convert-26.6.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Patient to work=Result |
| 5 | **work** |  | his *= he* |  |  |  |  |  | nom work «act intransitive»: poss=agent |

<!-- 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 -->
- ← previous: [syllabic](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/syllabic/)
- next →: [symbiotic](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/symbiotic/)
- ↑ back to [S in school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/)