---
title: town — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «town» in the school dictionary: A town is a place where many people live and work, bigger than a village and smaller than a city. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# town

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** town, many people, two towns, 2500 people, bus, it · **What happens:** be, live, work, mean, go, call · **To what, where:** place, centre, town, people, 60 km, new shoes · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A town is a place where many people live and work, bigger than a village and smaller than a city.

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:town:m1:1
# text = A town is a place where many people live and work, bigger than a village and smaller than a city.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	town	town	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	place	place	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	9	advmod	_	_
7	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nsubj	_	_
9	live	live	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	work	work	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
13	bigger	big	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	5	conj	_	_
14	than	than	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	village	village	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	_
17	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
18	smaller	small	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	13	conj	_	_
19	than	than	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
20	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
21	city	city	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a town | a place |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **live** | present | many people |  |  |  |  |  | vn exist-47.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **work** | present | many people *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn employment-95.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **be** |  | a town *not said here* |  |  |  |  | than a village | tree rules |

<!-- .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 -->
«Town» or «the town» can mean the centre of a place with the shops: «go into town».

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:town:m2:1
# text = «Town» or «the town» can mean the centre of a place with the shops: «go into town».
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Town	town	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
5	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	town	town	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	7	punct	_	_
9	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
10	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	centre	centre	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	_
13	of	of	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	place	place	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nmod	_	_
16	with	with	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	shops	shop	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	15	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	21	punct	_	_
20	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	21	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	go	go	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	10	parataxis	_	_
22	into	into	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
23	town	town	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	21	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | can | Town or the town | the centre of a place with the shops |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **go** *in a quote* | infinitive |  |  |  | town |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme into town=Initial\_Location |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The people of a town together are also called the town.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:town:m3:1
# text = The people of a town together are also called the town.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	town	town	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	together	together	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
7	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux:pass	_	_
8	also	also	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	town	town	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The two towns are 60 km apart.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:town:x1:1
# text = The two towns are 60 km apart.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	3	nummod	_	_
3	towns	town	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
4	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	60	60	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	6	nummod	_	_
6	km	km	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
7	apart	apart	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the two towns | 60 km |  |  |  | apart *property* | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
2500 people live in the town.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:town:x2:1
# text = 2500 people live in the town.
1	2500	2500	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	2	nummod	_	_
2	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	live	live	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	town	town	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **live** | present | 2500 people |  |  | the town |  |  | vn lodge-46 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in town=Location |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A bus goes from town A to town B.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:town:x3:1
# text = A bus goes from town A to town B.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	bus	bus	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	goes	go	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	from	from	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	town	town	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
6	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	flat	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	town	town	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	B.	b.	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go** | present | a bus |  |  | town |  | to town B. | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location PP.destination»: agent=Theme from town=Initial\_Location to b.=Destination |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
How far is it from the town to the lake?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:town:x4:1
# text = How far is it from the town to the lake?
1	How	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	2	advmod	_	_
2	far	far	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	cop	_	_
4	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
5	from	from	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	town	town	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
8	to	to	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	lake	lake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | it |  |  | the town to the lake |  | far *property* | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We went into town to buy new shoes.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:town:x5:1
# text = We went into town to buy new shoes.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	into	into	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	town	town	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	buy	buy	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
7	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	shoes	shoe	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go** | past | We |  |  | town |  |  | vn say-37.7 «NP V S-Quote»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **buy** | to-infinitive | We *not said here* | new shoes |  |  |  |  | vn accept-77.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent shoe=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My grandparents live in a small town by the sea.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:town:x6:1
# text = My grandparents live in a small town by the sea.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	grandparents	grandparent	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	live	live	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	town	town	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
8	by	by	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	sea	sea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **live** | present | My grandparents |  |  | a small town |  | by the sea | vn lodge-46 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in town=Location |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The town hall has a big clock.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:town:x7:1
# text = The town hall has a big clock.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	town	town	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	hall	hall	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	clock	clock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The whole town came to watch the parade.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:town:x8:1
# text = The whole town came to watch the parade.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	whole	whole	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	town	town	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	came	come	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	watch	watch	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	advcl	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	parade	parade	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come** | past | the whole town |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **watch** | to-infinitive | the whole town *not said here* | the parade |  |  |  |  | vn assessment-34.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent parade=Theme |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"It was in a little town.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:town:x9:1
# text = "It was in a little town.
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	town	town	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** *in a quote* | past | It |  |  | a little town |  |  | 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 -->

<!-- pn -->
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