---
title: tale — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «tale» in the school dictionary: A tale is a story, often a made-up one with adventures. A fairy tale is a story with magic in it. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# tale

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** tale, fairy tale, tall tale, story, person, book · **What happens:** be, make up, believe, tell, mistake, have · **To what, where:** story, tales, charge, 12 tales, 3 tales, us · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A tale is a story, often a made-up one with adventures. A fairy tale is a story with magic in it.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* A tale is a story, often a made-up one with adventures.

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tale:m1:1
# text = A tale is a story, often a made-up one with adventures.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	tale	tale	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	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
7	often	often	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
9	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	12	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	up	up	ADP	RP	_	9	compound:prt	_	_
12	one	one	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	appos	_	_
13	with	with	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	adventures	adventure	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a tale | a story |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **make up** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprise-107.2-1 «NP V NP»: 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.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* A fairy tale is a story with magic in it.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tale:m1:2
# text = A fairy tale is a story with magic in it.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	fairy	fairy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	tale	tale	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	magic	magic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a fairy tale | a story |  |  |  | with magic in story | tree rules |

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A tall tale is a story that is hard to believe.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tale:m2:1
# text = A tall tale is a story that is hard to believe.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	tall	tall	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	tale	tale	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	9	nsubj	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
9	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	acl:relcl	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	believe	believe	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a tall tale | a story |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present | a story |  |  |  |  | hard *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **believe** | to-infinitive | a story *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V that S»: agent=Experiencer |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To tell tales is to tell someone in charge about another person's small mistakes.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tale:m3:1
# text = To tell tales is to tell someone in charge about another person's small mistakes.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	tell	tell	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
3	tales	tale	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	tell	tell	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	6	obj	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	charge	charge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
10	about	about	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
11	another	another	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	12	det	_	_
12	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	's	's	PART	POS	_	12	case	_	_
14	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	mistakes	mistake	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | to-infinitive |  | tales |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent tale=Recipient |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  | charge about another person's small mistakes |  | tell *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **mistake** |  | another person |  |  |  |  |  | nom mistake «act intransitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The book has 12 tales.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tale:x1:1
# text = The book has 12 tales.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	book	book	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	12	12	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	tales	tale	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | the book | 12 tales |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent tale=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Each tale is 8 pages long.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tale:x2:1
# text = Each tale is 8 pages long.
1	Each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	2	det	_	_
2	tale	tale	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	8	8	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	pages	page	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl:unmarked	_	_
6	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | each tale |  |  |  |  | 8 pages *obl:unmarked*; long *property* | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grandma told us 3 tales tonight.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tale:x3:1
# text = Grandma told us 3 tales tonight.
1	Grandma	grandma	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	told	tell	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	iobj	_	_
4	3	3	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	tales	tale	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
6	tonight	tonight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | past | Grandma | 3 tales | us |  | tonight |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent we=Recipient tale=Topic |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She read 2 fairy tales a day for a week.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tale:x4:1
# text = She read 2 fairy tales a day for a week.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	read	read	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	2	2	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
4	fairy	fairy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	tales	tale	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl:unmarked	_	_
8	for	for	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	week	week	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 | **read** | past | She | 2 fairy tales |  |  | day; week |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent tale=Topic |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Snow White is a famous fairy tale.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tale:x5:1
# text = Snow White is a famous fairy tale.
1	Snow	snow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
2	White	White	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	1	flat	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
5	famous	famous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
6	fairy	fairy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	tale	tale	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Snow | a famous fairy tale |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He told a tall tale about a fish as big as a boat.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tale:x6:1
# text = He told a tall tale about a fish as big as a boat.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	told	tell	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	tall	tall	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	tale	tale	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	about	about	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	fish	fish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
9	as	as	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
10	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
11	as	as	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	boat	boat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | past | He | a tall tale |  |  |  | about a fish | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent tale=Recipient about fish=Topic |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The old sailor told tales of the sea.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tale:x7:1
# text = The old sailor told tales of the sea.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	sailor	sailor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	told	tell	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	tales	tale	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	sea	sea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | past | the old sailor | tales of the sea |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent tale=Recipient |
| 2 | **tell** |  | the sea |  |  |  |  |  | nom tale «communication intransitive»: of=agent |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Do not tell tales on your friends for small things.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tale:x8:1
# text = Do not tell tales on your friends for small things.
1	Do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
2	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	tell	tell	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	tales	tale	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	friends	friend	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	_
8	for	for	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **tell** *speech: assert* | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* | tales |  |  |  | on your friends for small things | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent tale=Recipient |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A false tale often betrays itself.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tale:x9:1
# text = A false tale often betrays itself.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	false	false	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	tale	tale	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	often	often	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	betrays	betray	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	itself	itself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **betray** | present | a false tale | tale |  |  |  | often *property* | 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 -->

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