---
title: unhelpful — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «unhelpful» in the school dictionary: Unhelpful means not helping, or making a problem or a situation harder. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# unhelpful

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**Who acts:** Unhelpful, Shouting, map, shop assistant, It, someone · **What happens:** mean, not help, make, shout, be, have · **To what, where:** problem, partner, street names, mistake, it · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Unhelpful means not helping, or making a problem or a situation harder.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unhelpful:m1:1
# text = Unhelpful means not helping, or making a problem or a situation harder.
1	Unhelpful	unhelpful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	helping	help	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	making	make	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	4	conj	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	problem	problem	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	situation	situation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	conj	_	_
13	harder	hard	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	7	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Unhelpful |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **not** **help** *not said to happen* | gerund | Unhelpful *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **make** | gerund | Unhelpful *not said here* | a problem or a situation |  |  |  | hard *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset problem=Product |

<!-- .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 -->
Shouting at your partner is unhelpful.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unhelpful:x1:1
# text = Shouting at your partner is unhelpful.
1	Shouting	shout	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	csubj	_	_
2	at	at	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	partner	partner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
6	unhelpful	unhelpful	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 | **shout** *speech: express* | gerund |  |  |  | your partner |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | present | Shouting |  |  |  |  | unhelpful *property* | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The map was unhelpful because it had no street names.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unhelpful:x2:1
# text = The map was unhelpful because it had no street names.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	map	map	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	unhelpful	unhelpful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
6	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	advcl	_	_
8	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	10	det	_	_
9	street	street	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	names	name	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the map |  |  |  |  | unhelpful *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **have** | past | map | no street names |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent name=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The shop assistant was unhelpful and rude.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unhelpful:x3:1
# text = The shop assistant was unhelpful and rude.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	shop	shop	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	assistant	assistant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	unhelpful	unhelpful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	rude	rude	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the shop assistant |  |  |  |  | unhelpful *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **be** |  | the shop assistant *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It's unhelpful to laugh when someone makes a mistake.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unhelpful:x4:1
# text = It's unhelpful to laugh when someone makes a mistake.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	unhelpful	unhelpful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	laugh	laugh	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	8	advmod	_	_
7	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	8	nsubj	_	_
8	makes	make	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	advcl	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	mistake	mistake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | It |  |  |  |  | unhelpful *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **laugh** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **make** | present | someone | a mistake |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent mistake=Product |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
His unhelpful advice made things worse.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unhelpful:x5:1
# text = His unhelpful advice made things worse.
1	His	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	unhelpful	unhelpful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	advice	advice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	amod	_	_
5	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
6	worse	bad	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Saying «just do it» was unhelpful.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unhelpful:x6:1
# text = Saying «just do it» was unhelpful.
1	Saying	say	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	8	csubj	_	_
2	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	just	just	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	ccomp	_	_
5	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
7	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
8	unhelpful	unhelpful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **do** *in a quote* | infinitive |  | it |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Eventuality |
| 3 | **is** | past | Saying |  |  |  |  | unhelpful *property* | 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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