---
title: Which of the following most accurately characterises the distinction… — When work goes wrong · tree and pragmatics
description: Which of the following most accurately characterises the distinction between redundancy and dismissal? Exam question 1 of lesson 4 «When work goes wrong» 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 w
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/adult-life/4-when-work-goes-wrong/e1/)

<!-- 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/) / [When work goes wrong](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/adult-life/4-when-work-goes-wrong/) / e1

# Exam question 1 · When work goes wrong

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Which of the following most accurately characterises the distinction between redundancy and dismissal?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 2 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **What happens:** follow, characteris · **To what, where:** distinction

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 1 of lesson 4 «When work goes wrong» of the adult life course of Mova's primary school, asked in stiff, formal language. 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/4-when-work-goes-wrong/#e1).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:4-when-work-goes-wrong:e1:1
# text = Which of the following most accurately characterises the distinction between redundancy and dismissal?
1	Which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
2	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
4	following	follow	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	csubj	_	_
5	most	most	ADV	RBS	Degree=Sup	6	advmod	_	_
6	accurately	accurately	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	characterises	characteris	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	distinction	distinction	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
10	between	between	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	redundancy	redundancy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	dismissal	dismissal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **follow** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **characteris** | present |  | the distinction |  |  |  | between redundancy and dismissal; accurately *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.

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Both terms denote a promotion to a senior position

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:4-when-work-goes-wrong:e1:o1:1
# text = Both terms denote a promotion to a senior position
1	Both	both	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	2	det	_	_
2	terms	term	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	denote	denote	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	promotion	promotion	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	to	to	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	senior	senior	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	position	position	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **denote** | present | both terms | a promotion |  |  |  | to a senior position | vn representation-110.1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Pivot promotion=Theme to position=Attribute |

### Option 2 · ← Mova's choice {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Redundancy and dismissal are synonymous terms for voluntary resignation

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:4-when-work-goes-wrong:e1:o2:1
# text = Redundancy and dismissal are synonymous terms for voluntary resignation
1	Redundancy	redundancy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
2	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
3	dismissal	dismissal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	conj	_	_
4	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	synonymous	synonymous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	terms	term	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
7	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	voluntary	voluntary	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	resignation	resignation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Redundancy and dismissal | synonymous terms |  |  |  | for voluntary resignation | tree rules |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dismissal concerns the abolition of the post; redundancy concerns the conduct of the employee concerned

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:4-when-work-goes-wrong:e1:o3:1
# text = Dismissal concerns the abolition of the post; redundancy concerns the conduct of the employee concerned
1	Dismissal	dismissal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	concerns	concern	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	abolition	abolition	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	post	post	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
9	redundancy	redundancy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
10	concerns	concern	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	conduct	conduct	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	_
13	of	of	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	employee	employee	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nmod	_	_
16	concerned	concerned	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	advcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **concern** | present | Dismissal | the abolition of the post |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus abolition=Experiencer |
| 2 | **concern** | present | redundancy | the conduct of the employee |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus conduct=Experiencer |
| 3 | **abolish** |  |  | the post |  |  |  |  | nom abolition «act transitive»: of=patient |
| 4 | **conduct** |  |  | the employee |  |  |  |  | nom conduct «act transitive»: of=patient |

### Option 4 · ✓ the right answer {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Redundancy concerns the abolition of the post; dismissal concerns the conduct of the employee

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:4-when-work-goes-wrong:e1:o4:1
# text = Redundancy concerns the abolition of the post; dismissal concerns the conduct of the employee
1	Redundancy	redundancy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	concerns	concern	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	abolition	abolition	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	post	post	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	10	punct	_	_
9	dismissal	dismissal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
10	concerns	concern	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	conduct	conduct	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	_
13	of	of	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	employee	employee	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **concern** | present | Redundancy | the abolition of the post |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus abolition=Experiencer |
| 2 | **concern** | present | dismissal | the conduct of the employee |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus conduct=Experiencer |
| 3 | **abolish** |  |  | the post |  |  |  |  | nom abolition «act transitive»: of=patient |
| 4 | **conduct** |  |  | the employee |  |  |  |  | nom conduct «act transitive»: of=patient |

<!-- 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: [When work goes wrong, test 11](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/adult-life/4-when-work-goes-wrong/t11/)
- next →: [When work goes wrong, exam 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/adult-life/4-when-work-goes-wrong/e2/)
- ↑ back to [When work goes wrong](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/adult-life/4-when-work-goes-wrong/)