---
title: Was the executioner about to do it right then, or did he stop? — Gods and Fighting Men, the tale of Con… · tree and pragmatics
description: Was the executioner about to do it right then, or did he stop? Test 12 · ★ of lesson 1064 «Gods and Fighting Men, the tale of Conn and Segda, part 32: Conn lands on a magic island, asks for the queen's son, and the boy is condemned to die» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the depen
---

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# Test 12 · ★ · Gods and Fighting Men, the tale of Conn and Segda, part 32…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Was the executioner about to do it right then, or did he stop?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** he · **What happens:** be, do, stop · **To what, where:** executioner

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 12 · ★ of lesson 1064 «Gods and Fighting Men, the tale of Conn and Segda, part 32: Conn lands on a magic island, asks for the queen's son, and the boy is condemned to die» 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/1064-pg2892-part32/#t12).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1064-pg2892-part32:t12:1
# text = Was the executioner about to do it right then, or did he stop?
1	Was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	executioner	executioner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
4	about	about	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	do	do	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	right	right	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
11	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
12	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	14	aux	_	_
13	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
14	stop	stop	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past |  | the executioner |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **do** | to-infinitive |  | executioner |  |  | then |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Eventuality |
| 3 | **stop** | past · do-support | he |  |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |

<!-- .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 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He was about to strike when a voice from the crowd made him wait, and everyone held their breath

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1064-pg2892-part32:t12:o1:1
# text = He was about to strike when a voice from the crowd made him wait, and everyone held their breath
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	about	about	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	strike	strike	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	12	mark	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	voice	voice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
9	from	from	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	crowd	crowd	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	_
12	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	ccomp	_	_
13	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	obj	_	_
14	wait	wait	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
16	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
17	everyone	everyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	18	nsubj	_	_
18	held	hold	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
19	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	20	nmod:poss	_	_
20	breath	breath	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | He |  |  |  |  | about *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **strike** | to-infinitive | He *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **make** | past | a voice from the crowd | him *= he* |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **wait** | infinitive | him *= he* *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 5 | **hold** | past | everyone | their breath |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent breath=Theme |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He paused, then the king called him off

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1064-pg2892-part32:t12:o2:1
# text = He paused, then the king called him off
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	paused	pause	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
4	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	7	advmod	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	king	king	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	called	call	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
8	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
9	off	off	ADP	RP	_	7	compound:prt	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pause** | past | He |  |  |  |  |  | vn linger-53.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **call off** *speech: assert* | past | the king |  | him *= he* |  | then |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent he=Recipient |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He was about to strike, but a voice made him wait

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1064-pg2892-part32:t12:o3:1
# text = He was about to strike, but a voice made him wait
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	about	about	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	strike	strike	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
7	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	voice	voice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
10	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
11	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	obj	_	_
12	wait	wait	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | He |  |  |  |  | about *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **strike** | to-infinitive | He *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **make** | past | a voice | him *= he* |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **wait** | infinitive | him *= he* *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He was just about to, then a voice stopped

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1064-pg2892-part32:t12:o4:1
# text = He was just about to, then a voice stopped
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	just	just	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	about	about	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	fixed	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
7	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	10	advmod	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	voice	voice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
10	stopped	stop	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | He |  |  |  |  | about *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **stop** | participle | a voice |  |  |  | then |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |

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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.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [Gods and Fighting Men, the tale of Con…, test 11](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/1064-pg2892-part32/t11/)
- next →: [Gods and Fighting Men, the tale of Con…, test 13](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/1064-pg2892-part32/t13/)
- ↑ back to [Gods and Fighting Men, the tale of Conn and Segda, part 32: Conn lands on a magic island, asks for the queen's son, and the boy is condemned to die](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/1064-pg2892-part32/)