---
title: her shell just dropped off when they buttered her up, yeah? — d'Aulnoy, Desiree, part 37: a crab-fai… · tree and pragmatics
description: her shell just dropped off when they buttered her up, yeah? Test 2 · ★ of lesson 1171 «d'Aulnoy, Desiree, part 37: a crab-fairy's curse, a windowless palace, a sick prince» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option; Mova'
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/1171-pg3027-part37/t2/)

<!-- 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/) / [Books](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/) / [d'Aulnoy, Desiree, part 37: a crab-fai…](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/1171-pg3027-part37/) / t2

# Test 2 · ★ · d'Aulnoy, Desiree, part 37: a crab-fairy's curse, a window…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
her shell just dropped off when they buttered her up, yeah?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 3 · **The right answer:** option 3 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** shell, they · **What happens:** drop off, butter up · **To what, where:** shell

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 2 · ★ of lesson 1171 «d'Aulnoy, Desiree, part 37: a crab-fairy's curse, a windowless palace, a sick prince» 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/1171-pg3027-part37/#t2).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1171-pg3027-part37:t2:1
# text = her shell just dropped off when they buttered her up, yeah?
1	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	shell	shell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	just	just	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	dropped	drop	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	off	off	ADP	RP	_	4	compound:prt	_	_
6	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	8	advmod	_	_
7	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	buttered	butter	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
9	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	_
10	up	up	ADP	RP	_	8	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
12	yeah	yeah	INTJ	UH	_	4	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **drop off** | past | her shell |  |  |  |  |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP.theme V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **butter up** | past | they |  | shell |  |  |  | vn butter-9.9 «NP V NP.destination»: agent=Agent she=Destination |

<!-- .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 -->
Nah, she kept her shell when they flattered her

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1171-pg3027-part37:t2:o1:1
# text = Nah, she kept her shell when they flattered her
1	Nah	nah	INTJ	UH	_	4	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	kept	keep	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	shell	shell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	9	advmod	_	_
8	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	flattered	flatter	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	advcl	_	_
10	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **keep** | past | she | her shell |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent shell=Theme |
| 2 | **flatter** | past | they | her *= she* |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus she=Experiencer |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Nah, it never came off because the fairies were too busy giving her the gifts and shells

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1171-pg3027-part37:t2:o2:1
# text = Nah, it never came off because the fairies were too busy giving her the gifts and shells
1	Nah	nah	INTJ	UH	_	5	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
4	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	5	advmod	_	_
5	came	come	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	off	off	ADV	RB	_	5	compound:prt	_	_
7	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	fairies	fairy	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	nsubj	_	_
10	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
11	too	too	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
12	busy	busy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	advcl	_	_
13	giving	give	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	12	advcl	_	_
14	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	iobj	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	gifts	gift	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	obj	_	_
17	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
18	shells	shell	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **come off** | past | it |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-2 «NP V ADV»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | past | the fairies |  |  |  |  | busy *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **give** | gerund | the fairies *not said here* | the gifts and shells | her *= she* |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent she=Recipient gift=Theme |

### Option 3 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Yeah, it fell away when they flattered her

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1171-pg3027-part37:t2:o3:1
# text = Yeah, it fell away when they flattered her
1	Yeah	yeah	INTJ	UH	_	4	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
3	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	fell	fall	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	away	away	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
6	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	8	advmod	_	_
7	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	flattered	flatter	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	advcl	_	_
9	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fall away** | past | it |  |  |  |  | away *property* | vn calibratable\_cos-45.6.1-1 «NP.attribute V»: agent=Attribute |
| 2 | **flatter** | past | they | her *= she* |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus she=Experiencer |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Yeah, it fell away from her body when they buttered her up with all the compliments

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1171-pg3027-part37:t2:o4:1
# text = Yeah, it fell away from her body when they buttered her up with all the compliments
1	Yeah	yeah	INTJ	UH	_	4	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
3	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	fell	fall	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	away	away	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
6	from	from	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	body	body	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
9	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	11	advmod	_	_
10	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
11	buttered	butter	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	advcl	_	_
12	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	obj	_	_
13	up	up	ADP	RP	_	11	compound:prt	_	_
14	with	with	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
15	all	all	DET	PDT	PronType=Tot	17	det:predet	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	compliments	compliment	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fall away** | past | it |  |  | her body |  | away *property* | vn calibratable\_cos-45.6.1-1 «NP.attribute V»: agent=Attribute |
| 2 | **butter up** | past | they |  | her *= she* |  |  | with all compliments | vn butter-9.9 «NP V NP PP.theme»: agent=Agent she=Destination with compliment=Theme |

<!-- 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: [d'Aulnoy, Desiree, part 37: a crab-fai…, test 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/1171-pg3027-part37/t1/)
- next →: [d'Aulnoy, Desiree, part 37: a crab-fai…, test 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/1171-pg3027-part37/t3/)
- ↑ back to [d'Aulnoy, Desiree, part 37: a crab-fairy's curse, a windowless palace, a sick prince](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/1171-pg3027-part37/)