---
title: In what sequence did the three brothers return to their father after… — Andersen's Fairy Tales, The Snow Queen… · tree and pragmatics
description: In what sequence did the three brothers return to their father after completing their apprenticeships? Exam question 1 of lesson 1624 «Andersen's Fairy Tales, The Snow Queen, part 1: a mirror breaks and Kay gets a splinter» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and p
---

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# Exam question 1 · Andersen's Fairy Tales, The Snow Queen, part 1: a mirror b…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In what sequence did the three brothers return to their father after completing their apprenticeships?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 2 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** three brothers · **What happens:** return, complete · **To what, where:** sequence, apprenticeships

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 1 of lesson 1624 «Andersen's Fairy Tales, The Snow Queen, part 1: a mirror breaks and Kay gets a splinter» of the books 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/books/1624-pg5615-part13/#e1).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1624-pg5615-part13:e1:1
# text = In what sequence did the three brothers return to their father after completing their apprenticeships?
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	what	what	DET	WDT	PronType=Int	3	det	_	_
3	sequence	sequence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
4	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	three	three	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	7	nummod	_	_
7	brothers	brother	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
8	return	return	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	to	to	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	11	nmod:poss	_	_
11	father	father	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
12	after	after	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
13	completing	complete	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	8	advcl	_	_
14	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	15	nmod:poss	_	_
15	apprenticeships	apprenticeship	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **return** | past · do-support | the three brothers |  |  | what sequence |  | to brothers's father *result* | vn convert-26.6.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Patient to father=Result |
| 2 | **complete** | gerund | the three brothers *not said here* | brothers's apprenticeships |  |  |  |  | vn complete-55.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent apprenticeship=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 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Eldest first, then the second, then the youngest after him

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1624-pg5615-part13:e1:o1:1
# text = Eldest first, then the second, then the youngest after him
1	Eldest	eld	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	0	root	_	_
2	first	first	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	1	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
4	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	6	advmod	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	second	second	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	1	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
8	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	10	advmod	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	youngest	young	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	1	appos	_	_
11	after	after	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

### Option 2 · ← Mova's choice {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
After many years, the second son came back first, then the third son, and the eldest son arrived last of all

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1624-pg5615-part13:e1:o2:1
# text = After many years, the second son came back first, then the third son, and the eldest son arrived last of all
1	After	after	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	years	year	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	second	second	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	7	amod	_	_
7	son	son	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
8	came	come	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	back	back	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
10	first	first	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
12	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	15	advmod	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
14	third	third	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	15	amod	_	_
15	son	son	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	vocative	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
17	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	21	cc	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
19	eldest	eld	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	20	amod	_	_
20	son	son	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	nsubj	_	_
21	arrived	arrive	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	conj	_	_
22	last	last	ADV	RB	_	21	advmod	_	_
23	of	of	ADP	IN	_	24	case	_	_
24	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	22	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come back** | past | the second son |  |  |  | year | the third son *vocative*; first *property* | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **arrive** | past | the eldest son |  |  |  |  | last *property* | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Whenever each one finished, the third returned first, followed by the second and finally the eldest, all on the same day

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1624-pg5615-part13:e1:o3:1
# text = Whenever each one finished, the third returned first, followed by the second and finally the eldest, all on the same day
1	Whenever	whenever	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	0	root	_	_
2	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	3	det	_	_
3	one	one	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
4	finished	finish	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	third	third	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	appos	_	_
8	returned	return	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	1	advcl:relcl	_	_
9	first	first	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
11	followed	follow	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	1	advcl:relcl	_	_
12	by	by	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	second	second	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	11	obl	_	_
15	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
16	finally	finally	ADV	RB	_	18	advmod	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	eldest	eld	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	14	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
20	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	1	advcl:relcl	_	_
21	on	on	ADP	IN	_	24	case	_	_
22	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	24	det	_	_
23	same	same	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	24	amod	_	_
24	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **finish** | participle |  | each one *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |
| 2 | **return** | past | each one |  |  |  |  | first *property* | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **follow** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | by the second | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Theme by second=Location |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
At an agreed time, the eldest, the second and the third in turn

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1624-pg5615-part13:e1:o4:1
# text = At an agreed time, the eldest, the second and the third in turn
1	At	at	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
2	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	agreed	agree	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	amod	_	_
4	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	eldest	eld	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	second	second	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	7	conj	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	third	third	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	10	conj	_	_
14	in	in	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	turn	turn	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **agree** *speech: agree* | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

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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.

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