---
title: By what means did the wicked mother bring about the Queen's sentence? — Fairy Book, The Six Swans: the silent… · tree and pragmatics
description: By what means did the wicked mother bring about the Queen's sentence? Exam question 3 of lesson 1679 «Fairy Book, The Six Swans: the silent sister saves her brothers but is condemned to burn» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of
---

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# Exam question 3 · Fairy Book, The Six Swans: the silent sister saves her bro…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
By what means did the wicked mother bring about the Queen's sentence?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 4 · **The right answer:** option 4 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** wicked mother, Queen · **What happens:** mean, bring, sentence

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 3 of lesson 1679 «Fairy Book, The Six Swans: the silent sister saves her brothers but is condemned to burn» 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/1679-pg640-part3/#e3).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1679-pg640-part3:e3:1
# text = By what means did the wicked mother bring about the Queen's sentence?
1	By	by	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	8	obl	_	_
3	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	acl:relcl	_	_
4	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	wicked	wicked	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	mother	mother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
8	bring	bring	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
9	about	about	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	Queen	Queen	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	13	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	's	's	PART	POS	_	11	case	_	_
13	sentence	sentence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **bring** | past · do-support | the wicked mother |  |  |  |  | about the Queen's sentence | vn bring-11.3-1 «NP V NP together»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **sentence** |  | the Queen |  |  |  |  |  | nom sentence «communication transitive»: poss=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.

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She accused the Queen of killing the babies falsely.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1679-pg640-part3:e3:o1:1
# text = She accused the Queen of killing the babies falsely.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	accused	accuse	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	Queen	Queen	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
6	killing	kill	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	4	acl	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	babies	baby	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	_
9	falsely	falsely	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **accuse** | past | She | the Queen |  |  |  |  | vn suspect-81 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Agent queen=Theme |
| 2 | **kill** | gerund | the Queen *not said here* | the babies |  |  |  | falsely *property* | vn remove-10.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent baby=Theme |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She stole the children and then falsely claimed the Queen had killed them at the castle gate.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1679-pg640-part3:e3:o2:1
# text = She stole the children and then falsely claimed the Queen had killed them at the castle gate.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	stole	steal	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	children	child	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
6	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	8	advmod	_	_
7	falsely	falsely	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	claimed	claim	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	Queen	Queen	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
11	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	12	aux	_	_
12	killed	kill	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	8	ccomp	_	_
13	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	obj	_	_
14	at	at	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
16	castle	castle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	compound	_	_
17	gate	gate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **steal** | past | She | the children |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location child=Theme |
| 2 | **claim** *speech: other* | past | She *not said here* |  |  |  | then | falsely *property* | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **kill** | past · perfect | the Queen | children *= child* |  | the castle gate |  |  | vn remove-10.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=Theme |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She hid the children in a box and then lied to the court that the Queen had killed them all.

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1679-pg640-part3:e3:o3:1
# text = She hid the children in a box and then lied to the court that the Queen had killed them all.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	hid	hide	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	children	child	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	box	box	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
9	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	10	advmod	_	_
10	lied	lie	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
11	to	to	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	court	court	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	_
14	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	18	mark	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	Queen	Queen	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	18	nsubj	_	_
17	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	18	aux	_	_
18	killed	kill	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	10	ccomp	_	_
19	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	18	obj	_	_
20	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	19	nmod:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hide** | past | She | the children |  | a box |  |  | vn concealment-16-1 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent child=Patient in box=Location |
| 2 | **lie** | past | She *not said here* |  |  |  | then | to the court | tree rules |
| 3 | **kill** | past · perfect | the Queen | children *= child* |  |  |  |  | vn remove-10.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=Theme |

### Option 4 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She falsely claimed the Queen had killed the children.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1679-pg640-part3:e3:o4:1
# text = She falsely claimed the Queen had killed the children.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	falsely	falsely	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	claimed	claim	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	Queen	Queen	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
6	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
7	killed	kill	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	3	ccomp	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	children	child	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **claim** *speech: other* | past | She |  |  |  |  | falsely *property* | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **kill** | past · perfect | the Queen | the children |  |  |  |  | vn remove-10.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent child=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 -->

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