---
title: underachieve — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «underachieve» in the school dictionary: To underachieve is to do less well than you are able to, especially at school or work. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# underachieve

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** you, teacher, Sam, clever children, children, team · **What happens:** underachieve, be, say, stop, get, feel · **To what, where:** school, reading, glasses, pupils, test · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To underachieve is to do less well than you are able to, especially at school or work.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:underachieve:m1:1
# text = To underachieve is to do less well than you are able to, especially at school or work.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	underachieve	underachieve	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	csubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	less	less	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	7	advmod	_	_
7	well	well	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	11	advmod	_	_
8	than	than	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
9	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
10	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
11	able	able	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	advcl	_	_
12	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
14	especially	especially	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	_
15	at	at	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
16	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
17	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
18	work	work	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **underachieve** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  | school or work |  | do *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **is** | present | you |  |  |  |  | able, well *property* | 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.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The teacher said Sam was underachieving in reading.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:underachieve:x1:1
# text = The teacher said Sam was underachieving in reading.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	Sam	Sam	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
5	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	underachieving	underachieve	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	ccomp	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	reading	reading	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | the teacher |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **underachieve** | past · progressive | Sam |  |  | reading |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Some clever children underachieve because they are bored.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:underachieve:x2:1
# text = Some clever children underachieve because they are bored.
1	Some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	3	det	_	_
2	clever	clever	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	children	child	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	underachieve	underachieve	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
6	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
7	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
8	bored	bored	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **underachieve** | present | some clever children |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present | children *= child* |  |  |  |  | bored *property* | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The team underachieved this season.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:underachieve:x3:1
# text = The team underachieved this season.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	team	team	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	underachieved	underachieve	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	5	det	_	_
5	season	season	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **underachieve** | past | the team |  |  |  | season |  | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She stopped underachieving once she got glasses.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:underachieve:x4:1
# text = She stopped underachieving once she got glasses.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	stopped	stop	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	underachieving	underachieve	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	xcomp	_	_
4	once	once	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Mult	6	advmod	_	_
5	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	got	get	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	ccomp	_	_
7	glasses	glass	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stop** | past | She |  |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Affector clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **underachieve** | gerund | She *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **get** | past | she | glasses |  |  |  | once *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer glass=Stimulus |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Extra help can stop pupils underachieving.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:underachieve:x5:1
# text = Extra help can stop pupils underachieving.
1	Extra	extra	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	help	help	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	stop	stop	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	pupils	pupil	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
6	underachieving	underachieve	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	4	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stop** | can | Extra help | pupils |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **underachieve** | gerund | Extra help *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He felt he had underachieved in the test.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:underachieve:x6:1
# text = He felt he had underachieved in the test.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	felt	feel	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
4	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	underachieved	underachieve	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	xcomp	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	test	test	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **feel** | past | He |  |  |  |  |  | vn conjecture-29.5-2 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 2 | **underachieve** | past · perfect | he |  |  | the test |  |  | tree rules |

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**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.

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