---
title: is the Carl coming back for his tails, or is he just messing about? — Irish Fairy Tales, The Carl of the Coa… · tree and pragmatics
description: is the Carl coming back for his tails, or is he just messing about? Test 6 · ★ of lesson 1058 «Irish Fairy Tales, The Carl of the Coat-Tails, part 26: the Carl stops for blackberries while Fionn waits for news» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of 
---

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# Test 6 · ★ · Irish Fairy Tales, The Carl of the Coat-Tails, part 26: th…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
is the Carl coming back for his tails, or is he just messing about?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 4 · **The right answer:** option 2 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** Carl · **What happens:** come back, mess about

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 6 · ★ of lesson 1058 «Irish Fairy Tales, The Carl of the Coat-Tails, part 26: the Carl stops for blackberries while Fionn waits for news» of the books 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/books/1058-pg2892-part26/#t6).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1058-pg2892-part26:t6:1
# text = is the Carl coming back for his tails, or is he just messing about?
1	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	Carl	Carl	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	coming	come	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	back	back	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	tails	tail	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
11	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	aux	_	_
12	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
13	just	just	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	_
14	messing	mess	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	conj	_	_
15	about	about	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come back** | present · progressive | the Carl |  |  |  |  | for Carl's tails | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **mess about** | present · progressive | Carl |  |  |  |  | about *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 -->
He's heading back for his coat, mate, no messing

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1058-pg2892-part26:t6:o1:1
# text = He's heading back for his coat, mate, no messing
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	heading	head	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	back	back	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	coat	coat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
9	mate	mate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
11	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	12	det	_	_
12	messing	messing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **head back** | present · progressive | He | no messing |  |  |  | for his coat and mate | vn conduct-111.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He's going back for them, so he's not messing

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1058-pg2892-part26:t6:o2:1
# text = He's going back for them, so he's not messing
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	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	back	back	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
8	so	so	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
9	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	aux	_	_
11	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	12	advmod	_	_
12	messing	mess	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go back** | present · progressive | He |  |  |  |  | for them *= they* | vn convert-26.6.2 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **not** **mess** | present · progressive | he |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He's going back for them, so he's definitely not messing about, he's dead serious about the race

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1058-pg2892-part26:t6:o3:1
# text = He's going back for them, so he's definitely not messing about, he's dead serious about the race
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	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	19	advcl	_	_
4	back	back	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
8	so	so	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
9	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	aux	_	_
11	definitely	definitely	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
12	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	13	advmod	_	_
13	messing	mess	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	conj	_	_
14	about	about	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
16	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	19	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	19	cop	_	_
18	dead	dead	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	19	amod	_	_
19	serious	serious	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
20	about	about	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
21	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
22	race	race	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go back** | present · progressive | He |  |  |  |  | for them *= they* | vn convert-26.6.2 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **not** **mess about** | present · progressive | he |  |  |  |  | about, definitely *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **is** | present | he |  |  |  |  | about the race; serious *property* | tree rules |

### Option 4 · ← Mova's choice {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Nah, he's just turning round to show off to the watching crowd, lads, it's all a joke

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1058-pg2892-part26:t6:o4:1
# text = Nah, he's just turning round to show off to the watching crowd, lads, it's all a joke
1	Nah	nah	INTJ	UH	_	6	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
5	just	just	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	turning	turn	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
7	round	round	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	show	show	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
10	off	off	ADP	RP	_	9	compound:prt	_	_
11	to	to	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	watching	watch	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	14	amod	_	_
14	crowd	crowd	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
16	lads	lad	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
18	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	22	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	22	cop	_	_
20	all	all	DET	PDT	PronType=Tot	22	det:predet	_	_
21	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
22	joke	joke	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	ccomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **turn round** | present · progressive | he |  |  |  |  | round *property* | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP.theme V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **show off** | to-infinitive | he *not said here* |  | the watching crowd and lads |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V PP.recipient how S»: agent=Agent to crowd=Recipient |
| 3 | **watch** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn search-35.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **is a** | present | it | all joke |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- 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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