---
title: Mum mutters "your father's useless, always was... forget I said that… — When parents separate · tree and pragmatics
description: Mum mutters "your father's useless, always was... forget I said that, love." What can you do? Test 9 · ★★ of lesson 15 «When parents separate» of the adult life course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option; Mova's choice was wrong.
---

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# Test 9 · ★★ · When parents separate

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mum mutters "your father's useless, always was... forget I said that, love." What can you do?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 4 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** Mum, you · **What happens:** mutter, be, forget, say, do · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 9 · ★★ of lesson 15 «When parents separate» 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/15-when-parents-separate/#t9).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Mum mutters "your father's useless, always was... forget I said that, love."

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:15-when-parents-separate:t9:1
# text = Mum mutters "your father's useless, always was... forget I said that, love."
1	Mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	mutters	mutter	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	father	father	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	's	's	PART	POS	_	5	case	_	_
7	useless	useless	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
9	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	10	advmod	_	_
10	was	be	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	...	...	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
12	forget	forget	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	_
13	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
14	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	12	ccomp	_	_
15	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	14	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
17	love	love	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mutter** *speech: assert* | present | Mum |  |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **be** *in a quote* | past | Mum *not said here* |  |  |  |  | always *property* | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **forget** *in a quote* | present | Mum *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **say** *speech: assert* *in a quote* | past | Mum |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: 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.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* What can you do?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:15-when-parents-separate:t9:2
# text = What can you do?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	4	obj	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | can | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent what=Eventuality |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Decide that Dad really is useless

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:15-when-parents-separate:t9:o1:1
# text = Decide that Dad really is useless
1	Decide	decide	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
3	Dad	Dad	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	really	really	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
6	useless	useless	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	ccomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **decide** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | present | Dad |  |  |  |  | useless *property* | tree rules |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Agree with her so she feels better

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:15-when-parents-separate:t9:o2:1
# text = Agree with her so she feels better
1	Agree	agree	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	with	with	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	1	obl	_	_
4	so	so	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
5	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	feels	feel	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	advcl	_	_
7	better	good	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	6	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **agree** *speech: agree* | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | with her *= she* | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V PP.co-agent how S»: agent=Agent with she=Co-Agent |
| 2 | **feel** | present | she |  |  |  |  | good *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |

### Option 3 · ✓ the right answer {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
You don't have to agree or pass it on, and can ask her not to say it

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:15-when-parents-separate:t9:o3:1
# text = You don't have to agree or pass it on, and can ask her not to say it
1	You	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	have	have	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	agree	agree	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	pass	pass	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	conj	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	_
10	on	on	ADP	RP	_	8	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
13	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	14	aux	_	_
14	ask	ask	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	conj	_	_
15	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	iobj	_	_
16	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	18	advmod	_	_
17	to	to	PART	TO	_	18	mark	_	_
18	say	say	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	14	xcomp	_	_
19	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	18	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **have** | present · do-support | You |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **agree** *speech: agree* | to-infinitive | You *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **pass on** | infinitive | You *not said here* | it |  |  |  |  | vn send-11.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Theme |
| 4 | **ask** *speech: ask* | can | You *not said here* |  | her *= she* |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V NP whether S\_INF»: agent=Agent she=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 5 | **not** **say** *speech: assert* *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | You *not said here* | it |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent it=Topic |

### Option 4 · ← Mova's choice {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Tell Dad exactly what she said at the next handover in the car park

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:15-when-parents-separate:t9:o4:1
# text = Tell Dad exactly what she said at the next handover in the car park
1	Tell	tell	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	Dad	Dad	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	1	iobj	_	_
3	exactly	exactly	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	6	obj	_	_
5	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	1	ccomp	_	_
7	at	at	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	next	next	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	handover	handover	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
11	in	in	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	car	car	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	compound	_	_
14	park	park	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | imperative | you *not said here* |  | Dad |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP what S»: agent=Agent dad=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | she |  |  | the next handover in the car park |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent what=Topic |

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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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