---
title: Dad, to Mum: «Shall we get I-C-E C-R-E-A-M after?» Your little broth… — Closed doors, whispers and secrets · tree and pragmatics
description: Dad, to Mum: «Shall we get I-C-E C-R-E-A-M after?» Your little brother can't spell yet. What's going on? Test 6 · ★ of lesson 35 «Closed doors, whispers and secrets» 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 
---

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# Test 6 · ★ · Closed doors, whispers and secrets

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dad, to Mum: «Shall we get I-C-E C-R-E-A-M after?» Your little brother can't spell yet. What's going on?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 4 · **The right answer:** option 1 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** Shall, little brother · **What happens:** get, not spell, go on

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 6 · ★ of lesson 35 «Closed doors, whispers and secrets» 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/35-closed-doors-whispers-and-secrets/#t6).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Dad, to Mum: «Shall we get I-C-E C-R-E-A-M after?»

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:35-closed-doors-whispers-and-secrets:t6:1
# text = Dad, to Mum: «Shall we get I-C-E C-R-E-A-M after?»
1	Dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
3	to	to	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	Mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	9	punct	_	_
6	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	Shall	shall	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
8	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	get	get	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	appos	_	_
10	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	24	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	C	C	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	E	E	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	12	conj	_	_
15	C	C	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	14	flat	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	17	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	R	R	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	14	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	19	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	E	E	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	17	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	23	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	23	det	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	21	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	M	M	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	conj	_	_
24	after	after	ADP	IN	_	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** *in a quote* | present | Shall |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer after=Stimulus |

<!-- .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 little brother can't spell yet.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:35-closed-doors-whispers-and-secrets:t6:2
# text = Your little brother can't spell yet.
1	Your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	brother	brother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	ca	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	6	advmod	_	_
6	spell	spell	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
7	yet	yet	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **spell** | can | Your little brother |  |  |  | yet |  | vn pronounce-29.3.1 «NP V NP ADVP»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 3:* What's going on?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:35-closed-doors-whispers-and-secrets:t6:3
# text = What's going on?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	3	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	going	go	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go on** | present · progressive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn function-105.2.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
They don't want him excited before it's sure

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:35-closed-doors-whispers-and-secrets:t6:o1:1
# text = They don't want him excited before it's sure
1	They	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	want	want	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	obj	_	_
6	excited	excited	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	xcomp	_	_
7	before	before	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
10	sure	sure	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	advcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **want** | present · do-support | They | him *= he* |  |  |  | excited *property* | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP ADJ»: agent=Pivot he=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | present | it |  |  |  |  | sure *property* | tree rules |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ice cream is a grown-ups-only treat

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:35-closed-doors-whispers-and-secrets:t6:o2:1
# text = Ice cream is a grown-ups-only treat
1	Ice	ice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	cream	cream	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
5	grown	grow	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	ups	up	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	only	only	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
10	treat	treat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **grow** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **is a** | present |  | a cream grown ups |  |  |  | treat *obl* | tree rules |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
They want to keep the ice cream for themselves

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:35-closed-doors-whispers-and-secrets:t6:o3:1
# text = They want to keep the ice cream for themselves
1	They	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	want	want	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	keep	keep	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	ice	ice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	cream	cream	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
8	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	themselves	themselves	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	4	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **want** | present | They |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot clause=Theme |
| 2 | **keep** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | They *not said here* | the ice cream |  |  |  | for themselves *= they* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent cream=Theme |

### Option 4 · ← Mova's choice {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
They are practising their spelling

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:35-closed-doors-whispers-and-secrets:t6:o4:1
# text = They are practising their spelling
1	They	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	practising	practise	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	spelling	spelling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **practise** | present · progressive | They | their spelling |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **spell** |  | their *= they* |  |  |  |  |  | nom spelling «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

<!-- 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 -->

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