---
title: Overheard on the phone: "The solicitor says nothing can be sold till… — What people leave behind · tree and pragmatics
description: Overheard on the phone: "The solicitor says nothing can be sold till probate's done, could be months." Why is Mum fed up? Test 1 · ★ of lesson 26 «What people leave behind» of the adult life course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option; 
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/adult-life/26-what-people-leave-behind/t1/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [questions](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/) / [Adult life](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/adult-life/) / [What people leave behind](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/adult-life/26-what-people-leave-behind/) / t1

# Test 1 · ★ · What people leave behind

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Overheard on the phone: "The solicitor says nothing can be sold till probate's done, could be months." Why is Mum fed up?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 2 · **The right answer:** option 2 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** solicitor, probate · **What happens:** overhear, say, sell, do, be, feed up · **To what, where:** phone, nothing, months, Mum · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 1 · ★ of lesson 26 «What people leave behind» 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/26-what-people-leave-behind/#t1).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Overheard on the phone: "The solicitor says nothing can be sold till probate's done, could be months."

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:26-what-people-leave-behind:t1:1
# text = Overheard on the phone: "The solicitor says nothing can be sold till probate's done, could be months."
1	Overheard	overhear	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	9	ccomp	_	_
2	on	on	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	phone	phone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	9	punct	_	_
6	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	solicitor	solicitor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
9	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
10	nothing	nothing	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	13	nsubj:pass	_	_
11	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	13	aux	_	_
12	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	13	aux:pass	_	_
13	sold	sell	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	9	ccomp	_	_
14	till	till	SCONJ	IN	_	17	mark	_	_
15	probate	probate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	17	aux	_	_
17	done	do	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	13	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
19	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	21	aux	_	_
20	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	21	cop	_	_
21	months	month	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **overhear** | participle |  |  |  | the phone |  |  | vn sight-30.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* *in a quote* | present | the solicitor |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **sell** *in a quote* | can · passive |  | nothing |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |
| 4 | **do** *in a quote* | present · passive | probate |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 5 | **is a** *in a quote* | could |  | months |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- .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:* Why is Mum fed up?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:26-what-people-leave-behind:t1:2
# text = Why is Mum fed up?
1	Why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	4	advmod	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
3	Mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	fed	feed	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	up	up	ADP	RP	_	4	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **feed up** | present · passive |  | Mum |  |  |  |  | vn feeding-39.7 «NP V NP»: subject=Recipient |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The house has already been sold to strangers

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:26-what-people-leave-behind:t1:o1:1
# text = The house has already been sold to strangers
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	house	house	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
4	already	already	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
5	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	6	aux:pass	_	_
6	sold	sell	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	strangers	stranger	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sell** | present · perfect · passive |  | the house | strangers |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: subject=Theme to stranger=Recipient |

### Option 2 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The paperwork to deal with the dead person's property is slow

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:26-what-people-leave-behind:t1:o2:1
# text = The paperwork to deal with the dead person's property is slow
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	paperwork	paperwork	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	deal	deal	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	acl	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	dead	dead	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	's	's	PART	POS	_	8	case	_	_
10	property	property	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
11	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
12	slow	slow	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **deal** | to-infinitive | the paperwork *not said here* |  |  |  |  | with the dead person's property | vn cope-83 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent with property=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | present | the paperwork |  |  |  |  | slow *property* | tree rules |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Probate is a disease spreading in the family

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:26-what-people-leave-behind:t1:o3:1
# text = Probate is a disease spreading in the family
1	Probate	probate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	disease	disease	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	spreading	spread	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	4	acl	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	family	family	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Probate | a disease |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **spread** | gerund | a disease *not said here* |  |  | the family |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in family=Location |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The solicitor secretly wants to buy the house cheaply for himself

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:26-what-people-leave-behind:t1:o4:1
# text = The solicitor secretly wants to buy the house cheaply for himself
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	solicitor	solicitor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	secretly	secretly	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	wants	want	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	buy	buy	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	house	house	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	cheaply	cheaply	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
10	for	for	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	himself	himself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	6	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **want** | present | the solicitor |  |  |  |  | secretly *property* | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot clause=Theme |
| 2 | **buy** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | the solicitor *not said here* | the house |  |  |  | for solicitor; cheaply *property* | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP PP.beneficiary»: agent=Agent house=Theme for himself=Beneficiary |

<!-- div src -->

**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 -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [Funerals and remembering, exam 4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/adult-life/25-funerals-and-remembering/e4/)
- next →: [What people leave behind, test 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/adult-life/26-what-people-leave-behind/t2/)
- ↑ back to [What people leave behind](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/adult-life/26-what-people-leave-behind/)