---
title: variable — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «variable» in the school dictionary: Changing often or able to change: variable weather. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# variable

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** letter, we, that, x x, weather, only variable · **What happens:** change, stand, not know, be, test, keep · **To what, where:** number, experiment, only variable, amount, test, other variable

<!-- .vabout -->
«variable» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 7 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: [variable in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/variable.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: adjective — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Changing often or able to change: variable weather.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:variable:m1:1
# text = Changing often or able to change: variable weather.
1	Changing	change	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	4	nsubj	_	_
2	often	often	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	able	able	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	change	change	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	9	punct	_	_
8	variable	variable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	weather	weather	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **change** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **change** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «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}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: noun, maths — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A letter or symbol, such as x or n, that stands for a number we do not know or that can change.

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:variable:m2:1
# text = A letter or symbol, such as x or n, that stands for a number we do not know or that can change.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	letter	letter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nsubj	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	symbol	symbol	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
6	such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|ExtPos=ADP	8	case	_	_
7	as	as	ADP	IN	_	6	fixed	_	_
8	x	x	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	n	n	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
12	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	13	nsubj	_	_
13	stands	stand	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
14	for	for	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	number	number	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	_
17	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	20	nsubj	_	_
18	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	20	aux	_	_
19	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	20	advmod	_	_
20	know	know	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	16	acl:relcl	_	_
21	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	24	cc	_	_
22	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	24	nsubj	_	_
23	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	24	aux	_	_
24	change	change	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	20	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	13	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stand** | present | a letter or symbol and x or n |  |  |  |  | for a number | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Experiencer for number=Attribute |
| 2 | **not** **know** | present · do-support | we | a number *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Experiencer number=Stimulus |
| 3 | **change** | can | that |  |  |  |  |  | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: noun, science — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Something that can change in an experiment, such as temperature or time.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:variable:m3:1
# text = Something that can change in an experiment, such as temperature or time.
1	Something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	0	root	_	_
2	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	4	nsubj	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	change	change	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	acl:relcl	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	experiment	experiment	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
9	such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|ExtPos=ADP	11	case	_	_
10	as	as	ADP	IN	_	9	fixed	_	_
11	temperature	temperature	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **change** | can |  |  |  | a experiment and temperature or time |  |  | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In 3 + x = 10, x is the variable, and x = 7.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:variable:x1:1
# text = In 3 + x = 10, x is the variable, and x = 7.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	3	3	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	4	nummod	_	_
3	+	+	SYM	SYM	_	2	advmod	_	_
4	x	x	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
5	=	=	SYM	SYM	_	6	case	_	_
6	10	10	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
8	x	x	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	variable	variable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
13	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	x	x	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	conj	_	_
15	=	=	SYM	SYM	_	16	case	_	_
16	7	7	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	14	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The weather in spring is variable.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:variable:x2:1
# text = The weather in spring is variable.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	weather	weather	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	spring	spring	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
6	variable	variable	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 | the weather in spring |  |  |  |  | variable *property* | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In our test, the only variable we changed was the amount of water.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:variable:x3:1
# text = In our test, the only variable we changed was the amount of water.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
3	test	test	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	only	only	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	variable	variable	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
8	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	changed	change	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	acl:relcl	_	_
10	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	amount	amount	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
13	of	of	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	12	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **change** | past | we | the only variable *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent variable=Patient |
| 2 | **is a** | past | the only variable | the amount |  | our test |  | of water | tree rules |
| 3 | **test** |  | our |  |  |  |  |  | nom test «cognition transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Keep every other variable the same for a fair test.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:variable:x4:1
# text = Keep every other variable the same for a fair test.
1	Keep	keep	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	4	det	_	_
3	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	variable	variable	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	same	same	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	parataxis	_	_
7	for	for	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	fair	fair	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	test	test	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **keep** | imperative | you *not said here* | every other variable |  |  |  | for a fair test | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent variable=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The price of fruit is variable through the year.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:variable:x5:1
# text = The price of fruit is variable through the year.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	price	price	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	fruit	fruit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
6	variable	variable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
7	through	through	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	year	year	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | the price of fruit |  |  |  | year | variable *property* | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The heater has a variable setting from low to high.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:variable:x6:1
# text = The heater has a variable setting from low to high.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	heater	heater	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	variable	variable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	setting	setting	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	from	from	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	low	low	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
9	to	to	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	high	high	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Author's archaic and variable spelling and hyphenation is preserved.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:variable:x7:1
# text = Author's archaic and variable spelling and hyphenation is preserved.
1	Author	author	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	's	PART	POS	_	1	case	_	_
3	archaic	archaic	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	variable	variable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	conj	_	_
6	spelling	spelling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj:pass	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	hyphenation	hyphenation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux:pass	_	_
10	preserved	preserve	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **preserve** | present · passive |  | Author's archaic spelling and hyphenation |  |  |  |  | vn defend-72.3 «NP V NP»: subject=Beneficiary |
| 2 | **spell** |  | Author |  |  |  |  |  | nom spelling «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

<!-- 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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