--- title: Age ratings in the UK, the USA, Australia and Canada, and why they exist — a lesson of Mova's school · trees and pragmatics description: «Age ratings in the UK, the USA, Australia and Canada, and why they exist», a lesson of the adult life course of Mova's primary school, sentence by sentence with dependency trees and pragmatics. It begins: Every film shown in a cinema or sold on a disc gets an age rating: a short label that says who --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/57-age-ratings-and-why-they-exist/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [school](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/) / [Adult life](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/) / Age ratings in the UK, the USA, Austra… # Age ratings in the UK, the USA, Australia and Canada, and why they exist Lesson 57 of the adult life course of Mova's primary school: 24 sentences, each with its syntax tree and pragmatics. The lessons are written for Mova, and their agreed trees are part of Mova corpus 0.4 (CC BY-SA 4.0). How Mova does on its tests: [the lesson at school](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/school-run/adult-life/57-age-ratings-and-why-they-exist/). - [0](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/57-age-ratings-and-why-they-exist/0/) — Every film shown in a cinema or sold on a disc gets an age rating: a short label that says who it is suitable for. - [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/57-age-ratings-and-why-they-exist/1/) — The people who rate it watch the whole film first and look at things like violence, fear, bad language and grown-up themes. - [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/57-age-ratings-and-why-they-exist/2/) — Ratings exist because the same film can be fine for a 16-year-old and upsetting for an 8-year-old. - [3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/57-age-ratings-and-why-they-exist/3/) — Younger brains are still learning to handle strong pictures and feelings, so the rating helps families choose before they press play, not after. - [4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/57-age-ratings-and-why-they-exist/4/) — Vivid example: in Leeds, Charlie points at a film box in the supermarket. - [5](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/57-age-ratings-and-why-they-exist/5/) — "What's PG, Dad?" Dad turns it over. - [6](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/57-age-ratings-and-why-they-exist/6/) — Anyone can watch it, but there might be a bit that scares little ones, so a grown-up should decide. - [7](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/57-age-ratings-and-why-they-exist/7/) — See, it says 'mild threat' here." - [8](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/57-age-ratings-and-why-they-exist/8/) — Each country has its own letters and numbers, but they all work the same way: the higher the number, the older you should be. - [9](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/57-age-ratings-and-why-they-exist/9/) — Some are advice for parents; some are the law, and a cinema can refuse to let you in. - [10](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/57-age-ratings-and-why-they-exist/10/) — In the UK the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) rates films: U (Universal, for everyone), PG (Parental Guidance), 12A, 12, 15 and 18; 15 and 18 mean nobody younger may buy or see them. - [11](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/57-age-ratings-and-why-they-exist/11/) — 12A is used only in UK cinemas: under-12s may see the film if an adult goes with them; on a disc or download the same film is rated 12. - [12](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/57-age-ratings-and-why-they-exist/12/) — In the USA the ratings are G, PG, PG-13 (parents strongly cautioned, some material may not suit under-13s), R (under-17s need a parent or guardian with them) and NC-17 (nobody 17 or under). - [13](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/57-age-ratings-and-why-they-exist/13/) — US television shows have their own labels, such as TV-Y for young children, TV-PG and TV-14. - [14](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/57-age-ratings-and-why-they-exist/14/) — In Australia the ratings include G, PG, M (recommended for 15 and over, but not law) and MA15+ (under-15s must be with a parent or guardian), then R18+. - [15](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/57-age-ratings-and-why-they-exist/15/) — In Canada the provinces rate films; ratings such as 14A mean under-14s must be with an adult. - [16](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/57-age-ratings-and-why-they-exist/16/) — Ratings come with short words of advice, like "contains moderate violence" or "strong language", so families know why the film got its rating. - [17](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/57-age-ratings-and-why-they-exist/17/) — Ratings are decided by trained examiners who follow published rules, not by the film makers, and not by guessing. - [18](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/57-age-ratings-and-why-they-exist/18/) — Before a TV programme, a channel may show a warning such as "contains strong language" so viewers can choose to switch off. - [19](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/57-age-ratings-and-why-they-exist/19/) — In the UK the watershed is 9 pm: programmes not suitable for children are not shown on ordinary TV channels before then. - [20](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/57-age-ratings-and-why-they-exist/20/) — Streaming services use their own age labels, like 7+, 13+ or 16+, and a kids profile hides films above its age setting. - [21](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/57-age-ratings-and-why-they-exist/21/) — Families can be stricter than a rating; parents decide what is right for their child, and different families make different choices. - [22](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/57-age-ratings-and-why-they-exist/22/) — A U or G film can still be sad or a little scary; a rating says what is suitable, not how it will make you feel. - [23](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/57-age-ratings-and-why-they-exist/23/) — A film can be rated again when it is re-released years later, and its rating may change. - ← previous: [Scary films, nightmares and sad endings](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/56-scary-films-nightmares-and-sad-endings/) - next →: [Landing on an 18 film by accident: how it happens and how it feels](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/58-landing-on-an-18-film-by-accident/) - ↑ back to [Adult life](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/)