---
title: There's a burnt smell from a plug and a crackle. Your big brother sa… — When things break: boilers, plumbers a… · tree and pragmatics
description: There's a burnt smell from a plug and a crackle. Your big brother says "I'll sort it, pass me a knife." What is right? Test 4 of lesson 11 «When things break: boilers, plumbers and paint» of the adult life course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and o
---

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# Test 4 · When things break: boilers, plumbers and paint

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
There's a burnt smell from a plug and a crackle. Your big brother says "I'll sort it, pass me a knife." What is right?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 2 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** burnt smell, big brother · **What happens:** be, say, sort, pass · **To what, where:** smell, knife, big brother · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 4 of lesson 11 «When things break: boilers, plumbers and paint» of the adult life course of Mova's primary school. The page gives the question's syntax tree — a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies — and its pragmatics clause by clause, then the 4 options as the student saw them, each with its tree and pragmatics. Every text is parsed by Mova itself. How the student answered it, with the score of every option and why: [the test at school](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/school-run/adult-life/11-when-things-break/#t4).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* There's a burnt smell from a plug and a crackle.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:11-when-things-break:t4:1
# text = There's a burnt smell from a plug and a crackle.
1	There	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	2	expl	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	burnt	burnt	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	smell	smell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
6	from	from	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	plug	plug	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	crackle	crackle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **be** | present | a burnt smell from a plug and a crackle |  |  | there |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- .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.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* Your big brother says "I'll sort it, pass me a knife."

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:11-when-things-break:t4:2
# text = Your big brother says "I'll sort it, pass me a knife."
1	Your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	brother	brother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	'll	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
8	sort	sort	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	ccomp	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
11	pass	pass	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	conj	_	_
12	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	11	obj	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	knife	knife	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | Your big brother |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **sort** *in a quote* | future | Your big brother *= brother* | smell |  |  |  |  | vn classify-29.10 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Theme |
| 3 | **pass** *in a quote* | infinitive | Your big brother *= brother* *not said here* | a knife | Your big brother *= brother* |  |  |  | vn give-13.1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent i=Recipient knife=Theme |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 3:* What is right?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:11-when-things-break:t4:3
# text = What is right?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	right	right	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

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

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Pour water on the plug to cool it

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:11-when-things-break:t4:o1:1
# text = Pour water on the plug to cool it
1	Pour	pour	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
3	on	on	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	plug	plug	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	cool	cool	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	advcl	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pour** | imperative | you *not said here* | water |  | the plug |  |  | vn preparing-26.3-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent water=Patient |
| 2 | **cool** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* | water |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent it=Patient |

### Option 2 · ✓ the right answer {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Stop him and tell a grown-up, this is a job for an electrician

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:11-when-things-break:t4:o2:1
# text = Stop him and tell a grown-up, this is a job for an electrician
1	Stop	stop	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	1	obj	_	_
3	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	tell	tell	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	1	conj	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	grown	grown	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	up	up	ADP	RP	_	6	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
10	this	this	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	13	nsubj	_	_
11	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	job	job	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
14	for	for	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	electrician	electrician	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stop** | imperative | you *not said here* | him *= he* |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V NP.eventuality»: agent=Subeventuality he=Eventuality |
| 2 | **tell** *speech: assert* | infinitive | you *not said here* | a grown |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent grown=Recipient |
| 3 | **is a** | present | this | a job |  |  |  | for a electrician | tree rules |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Pass him the knife, it is quick and the plug is only a little bit hot

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:11-when-things-break:t4:o3:1
# text = Pass him the knife, it is quick and the plug is only a little bit hot
1	Pass	pass	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	1	obj	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	knife	knife	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
6	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
8	quick	quick	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	parataxis	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	plug	plug	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	nsubj	_	_
12	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	17	cop	_	_
13	only	only	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
15	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	bit	bit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obl:unmarked	_	_
17	hot	hot	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pass** | imperative | you *not said here* | the knife | him *= he* |  |  |  | vn give-13.1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent he=Recipient knife=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | present | knife |  |  |  |  | quick *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **is** | present | the plug |  |  |  |  | a little bit *obl:unmarked*; hot *property* | tree rules |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Unscrew it yourself while he holds the torch

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:11-when-things-break:t4:o4:1
# text = Unscrew it yourself while he holds the torch
1	Unscrew	unscrew	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	1	obj	_	_
3	yourself	yourself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=2|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	1	obl	_	_
4	while	while	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
5	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	holds	hold	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	advcl	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	torch	torch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **unscrew** | imperative | you *not said here* | it |  |  |  | yourself *obl* | vn disassemble-23.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Patient |
| 2 | **hold** | present | he | the torch |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent torch=Theme |

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**Text:** the tests of Mova's primary school, written for Mova (`world/data/school/`), as the course runner gave them to the student. **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 text read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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