---
title: teaser — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «teaser» in the school dictionary: A teaser is a short puzzle or question that makes you think hard, often called a brain teaser. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# teaser

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** teaser, short puzzle, you, that, person, brain teaser · **What happens:** be, make, think, call, show, tease · **To what, where:** short puzzle, you, brain teaser, short preview, something, person · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«teaser» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 6 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: [teaser in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/teaser.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A teaser is a short puzzle or question that makes you think hard, often called a brain teaser.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:teaser:m1:1
# text = A teaser is a short puzzle or question that makes you think hard, often called a brain teaser.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	teaser	teaser	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	short	short	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	puzzle	puzzle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	question	question	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	_
9	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	10	nsubj	_	_
10	makes	make	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	acl:relcl	_	_
11	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	10	obj	_	_
12	think	think	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	xcomp	_	_
13	hard	hard	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	12	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
15	often	often	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	_
16	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	parataxis	_	_
17	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
18	brain	brain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	compound	_	_
19	teaser	teaser	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a teaser | a short puzzle or question |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **make** | present | a short puzzle or question | you |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **think** *speech: other* | infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | hard *property* | vn focus-87.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **call** | participle |  | a brain teaser |  |  |  | often *property* | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .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 teaser is a short preview, like a clip or advert, that shows a little of something to make you curious.

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:teaser:m2:1
# text = A teaser is a short preview, like a clip or advert, that shows a little of something to make you curious.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	teaser	teaser	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	short	short	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	preview	preview	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
8	like	like	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	clip	clip	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	_
11	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	advert	advert	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
14	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	15	nsubj	_	_
15	shows	show	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	parataxis	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	19	amod	_	_
18	of	of	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
19	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	15	obj	_	_
20	to	to	PART	TO	_	21	mark	_	_
21	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	19	acl	_	_
22	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	21	obj	_	_
23	curious	curious	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	21	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a teaser | a short preview and a clip or advert |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **show** | present | that | something |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent something=Recipient |
| 3 | **make** | to-infinitive | that *not said here* | you |  |  |  | curious *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset you=Product |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A teaser can also be a person who teases others.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:teaser:m3:1
# text = A teaser can also be a person who teases others.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	teaser	teaser	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
4	also	also	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
5	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	cop	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	9	nsubj	_	_
9	teases	tease	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	acl:relcl	_	_
10	others	other	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | can | a teaser | a person |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **tease** | present | a person | others |  |  |  |  | vn bully-59.5 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent other=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Here's a brain teaser: what has hands but can't clap? A clock!

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Here's a brain teaser: what has hands but can't clap?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:teaser:x1:1
# text = Here's a brain teaser: what has hands but can't clap?
1	Here	here	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	brain	brain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	teaser	teaser	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	8	punct	_	_
7	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	8	nsubj	_	_
8	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	parataxis	_	_
9	hands	hand	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obj	_	_
10	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
11	ca	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	13	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	13	advmod	_	_
13	clap	clap	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | a brain teaser |  |  |  |  | here *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **have** | present | a brain teaser | hands |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent hand=Patient |
| 3 | **not** **clap** | can | a brain teaser *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* A clock!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:teaser:x1:2
# text = A clock!
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	clock	clock	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 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Our teacher gives us a maths teaser every morning.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:teaser:x2:1
# text = Our teacher gives us a maths teaser every morning.
1	Our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	gives	give	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	iobj	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	maths	maths	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	teaser	teaser	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
8	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	9	det	_	_
9	morning	morning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | present | Our teacher | a maths teaser | us |  | morning |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent we=Recipient teaser=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The teaser for the new film was only thirty seconds long.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:teaser:x3:1
# text = The teaser for the new film was only thirty seconds long.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	teaser	teaser	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
3	for	for	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	film	film	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
7	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
8	only	only	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	thirty	thirty	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	10	nummod	_	_
10	seconds	second	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	obl:unmarked	_	_
11	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the teaser for the new film |  |  |  | second | long *property* | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The teaser at the end of the book made me want to read the next one.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:teaser:x4:1
# text = The teaser at the end of the book made me want to read the next one.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	teaser	teaser	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
3	at	at	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	end	end	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	book	book	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
9	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
10	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	9	obj	_	_
11	want	want	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	xcomp	_	_
12	to	to	PART	TO	_	13	mark	_	_
13	read	read	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	xcomp	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
15	next	next	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	one	one	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past | the teaser at the end of the book | me |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **want** | infinitive | me *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot clause=Theme |
| 3 | **read** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | me *not said here* | the next one |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent one=Topic |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Logic teasers help you think step by step.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:teaser:x5:1
# text = Logic teasers help you think step by step.
1	Logic	logic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	teasers	teaser	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	help	help	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	obj	_	_
5	think	think	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	step	step	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
7	by	by	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	step	step	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **help** | present | Logic teasers | you |  |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent you=Beneficiary clause=Theme |
| 2 | **think** *speech: other* | infinitive | you *not said here* | step |  |  |  | by step | vn wish-62 «NP V NP»: agent=Pivot step=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Don't be a teaser; stop poking fun at him.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:teaser:x6:1
# text = Don't be a teaser; stop poking fun at him.
1	Do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	5	advmod	_	_
3	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	teaser	teaser	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	7	punct	_	_
7	stop	stop	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	poking	poke	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	xcomp	_	_
9	fun	fun	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
10	at	at	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **not** **is a** | infinitive |  | a teaser |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **stop** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Affector clause=Eventuality |
| 4 | **poke** | gerund | you *not said here* | fun |  |  |  | at him *= he* | vn poke-19-1-1-1 «NP V NP.instrument PP.theme»: agent=Agent fun=Instrument at he=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 -->

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