---
title: You asked Mum for a sleepover, she said «ask your father», and you t… — Closed doors, whispers and secrets · tree and pragmatics
description: You asked Mum for a sleepover, she said «ask your father», and you tell Dad «Mum said it's fine». What happens? Test 7 · ★ 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; 
---

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# Test 7 · ★ · Closed doors, whispers and secrets

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
You asked Mum for a sleepover, she said «ask your father», and you tell Dad «Mum said it's fine». What happens?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 2 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** You, Mum · **What happens:** ask, say, tell, be, happen · **To what, where:** father, Dad · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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This is test 7 · ★ 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/#t7).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* You asked Mum for a sleepover, she said «ask your father», and you tell Dad «Mum said it's fine».

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:35-closed-doors-whispers-and-secrets:t7:1
# text = You asked Mum for a sleepover, she said «ask your father», and you tell Dad «Mum said it's fine».
1	You	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	asked	ask	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	Mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
4	for	for	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	sleepover	sleepover	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
8	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	parataxis	_	_
10	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	ask	ask	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	9	ccomp	_	_
12	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	13	nmod:poss	_	_
13	father	father	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
16	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
17	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	18	nsubj	_	_
18	tell	tell	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	parataxis	_	_
19	Dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	obj	_	_
20	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	22	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	Mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	nsubj	_	_
22	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	18	ccomp	_	_
23	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	25	expl	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	25	cop	_	_
25	fine	fine	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	22	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ask** *speech: ask* | past | You |  |  |  |  | for a sleepover | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | Mum |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **ask** *speech: ask* *in a quote* | infinitive |  |  | your father |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent father=Recipient |
| 4 | **tell** *speech: assert* | present | you |  | Dad |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP S»: agent=Agent dad=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 5 | **say** *speech: assert* *in a quote* | past | Mum |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 6 | **is** *in a quote* | present |  |  |  |  |  | fine *property* | 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:* What happens?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:35-closed-doors-whispers-and-secrets:t7:2
# text = What happens?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	2	nsubj	_	_
2	happens	happen	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **happen** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
You get the sleepover with no problem at all, and a takeaway too

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:35-closed-doors-whispers-and-secrets:t7:o1:1
# text = You get the sleepover with no problem at all, and a takeaway too
1	You	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	get	get	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	sleepover	sleepover	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	7	det	_	_
7	problem	problem	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
8	at	at	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	takeaway	takeaway	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	parataxis	_	_
14	too	too	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** | present | You | the sleepover |  |  |  | with no problem at all | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer sleepover=Stimulus |

### Option 2 · ← Mova's choice {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mum forgets she ever said anything

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:35-closed-doors-whispers-and-secrets:t7:o2:1
# text = Mum forgets she ever said anything
1	Mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	forgets	forget	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
4	ever	ever	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	5	advmod	_	_
5	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	parataxis	_	_
6	anything	anything	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	5	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **forget** | present | Mum |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | Mum | anything |  |  | ever |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent anything=Topic |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It backfires when they talk to each other

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:35-closed-doors-whispers-and-secrets:t7:o3:1
# text = It backfires when they talk to each other
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	backfires	backfire	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	5	advmod	_	_
4	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
5	talk	talk	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	ccomp	_	_
6	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	each	each	DET	DT	ExtPos=PRON|PronType=Rcp	5	obl	_	_
8	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	fixed	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **backfire** | present | It |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **talk** | present | they |  |  |  |  | to each | vn talk-37.5 «NP V PP.co-agent»: agent=Agent to each=Co-Agent |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dad gives you two sleepovers instead

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:35-closed-doors-whispers-and-secrets:t7:o4:1
# text = Dad gives you two sleepovers instead
1	Dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	gives	give	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	2	iobj	_	_
4	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	sleepovers	sleepover	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
6	instead	instead	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | present | Dad | two sleepovers | you |  |  | instead *property* | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent you=Recipient sleepover=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.

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- ← previous: [Closed doors, whispers and secrets, test 6](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/adult-life/35-closed-doors-whispers-and-secrets/t6/)
- next →: [Closed doors, whispers and secrets, test 8](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/adult-life/35-closed-doors-whispers-and-secrets/t8/)
- ↑ back to [Closed doors, whispers and secrets](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/adult-life/35-closed-doors-whispers-and-secrets/)