---
title: «look, his tail's going like mad, he's friendly, I'm gonna pet him»… — Reading a dog: tails, play bows, growl… · tree and pragmatics
description: «look, his tail's going like mad, he's friendly, I'm gonna pet him» but the dog is stiff and staring. What is right? Test 1 · ★ of lesson 194 «Reading a dog: tails, play bows, growls and staying safe» of the biology course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the ques
---

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# Test 1 · ★ · Reading a dog: tails, play bows, growls and staying safe

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«look, his tail's going like mad, he's friendly, I'm gonna pet him» but the dog is stiff and staring. What is right?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 2 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** you, tail, I, dog · **What happens:** look, go, be, stare · **To what, where:** gonna pet

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 1 · ★ of lesson 194 «Reading a dog: tails, play bows, growls and staying safe» of the biology 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/biology/194-reading-a-dog-tails-play-bows-growls-and-staying-safe/#t1).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* «look, his tail's going like mad, he's friendly, I'm gonna pet him» but the dog is stiff and staring.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:194-reading-a-dog-tails-play-bows-growls-and-staying-safe:t1:1
# text = «look, his tail's going like mad, he's friendly, I'm gonna pet him» but the dog is stiff and staring.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	look	look	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
4	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	tail	tail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
7	going	go	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
8	like	like	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	mad	mad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
11	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
13	friendly	friendly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
15	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	18	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	'm	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	18	cop	_	_
17	gonna	gonna	X	FW	_	18	compound	_	_
18	pet	pet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	parataxis	_	_
19	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	18	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
21	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	25	cc	_	_
22	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	23	det	_	_
23	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	25	nsubj	_	_
24	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	25	cop	_	_
25	stiff	stiff	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	conj	_	_
26	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	27	cc	_	_
27	staring	stare	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	25	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** *in a quote* | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Stimulus |
| 2 | **go** *in a quote* | present · progressive | his tail |  |  |  |  | like mad | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **is** *in a quote* | present | tail |  |  |  |  | friendly *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **is a** *in a quote* | present | I | gonna pet |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 5 | **is** | present | the dog |  |  |  |  | stiff *property* | tree rules |
| 6 | **stare** | gerund | the dog *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: 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 is right?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:194-reading-a-dog-tails-play-bows-growls-and-staying-safe:t1:2
# text = What is right?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	right	right	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | right *property* | tree rules |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Tails only wag when dogs are happy

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:194-reading-a-dog-tails-play-bows-growls-and-staying-safe:t1:o1:1
# text = Tails only wag when dogs are happy
1	Tails	tail	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	only	only	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	wag	wag	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	7	advmod	_	_
5	dogs	dog	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
6	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	happy	happy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	advcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wag** | present | Tails |  |  |  |  |  | vn crane-40.3.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | present | dogs |  |  |  |  | happy *property* | tree rules |

### Option 2 · ✓ the right answer {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A stiff fast wag with a stare is not a friendly sign, leave him

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:194-reading-a-dog-tails-play-bows-growls-and-staying-safe:t1:o2:1
# text = A stiff fast wag with a stare is not a friendly sign, leave him
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
2	stiff	stiff	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
3	fast	fast	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	wag	wag	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	stare	stare	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
9	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	12	advmod	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	friendly	friendly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	sign	sign	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
14	leave	leave	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	parataxis	_	_
15	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **is a** | present | a stiff fast wag with a stare | a friendly sign |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **leave** | infinitive |  | him *= he* |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent he=Theme |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Pet him on the head quickly before he moves

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:194-reading-a-dog-tails-play-bows-growls-and-staying-safe:t1:o3:1
# text = Pet him on the head quickly before he moves
1	Pet	pet	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	1	obj	_	_
3	on	on	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	head	head	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
6	quickly	quickly	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	_
7	before	before	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
8	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	moves	move	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	advcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pet** | imperative | you *not said here* | him *= he* |  | the head |  | quickly *property* | vn marry-36.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent he=Co-Agent |
| 2 | **move** | present | he |  |  |  |  |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP.theme V»: agent=Theme |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Any wag means friendly, go on, he wants to be stroked right now

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:194-reading-a-dog-tails-play-bows-growls-and-staying-safe:t1:o4:1
# text = Any wag means friendly, go on, he wants to be stroked right now
1	Any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	2	det	_	_
2	wag	wag	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	friendly	friendly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
6	go	go	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	conj	_	_
7	on	on	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
9	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	wants	want	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	parataxis	_	_
11	to	to	PART	TO	_	13	mark	_	_
12	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	13	aux:pass	_	_
13	stroked	stroke	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	10	xcomp	_	_
14	right	right	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
15	now	now	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	10	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | any wag |  |  |  |  | friendly *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **go on** | infinitive | any wag *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn function-105.2.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **want** | present | wag |  |  |  | now |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot clause=Theme |
| 4 | **stroke** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive · passive | wag *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn touch-20-1 «NP V NP» |

<!-- 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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