---
title: what's a skein, is that a snack — English Fairy Tales, Tom Tit Tot, part… · tree and pragmatics
description: what's a skein, is that a snack Test 8 · ★ of lesson 1943 «English Fairy Tales, Tom Tit Tot, part 1: a lazy girl must spin five skeins a day or lose her head, and a little black impet offers to help» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the questio
---

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# Test 8 · ★ · English Fairy Tales, Tom Tit Tot, part 1: a lazy girl must…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
what's a skein, is that a snack

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

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 8 · ★ of lesson 1943 «English Fairy Tales, Tom Tit Tot, part 1: a lazy girl must spin five skeins a day or lose her head, and a little black impet offers to help» 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/1943-pg7439-part2/#t8).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1943-pg7439-part2:t8:1
# text = what's a skein, is that a snack
1	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	skein	skein	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
7	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	snack	snack	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a snack | a skein |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is a** | present | a skein | a snack |  |  |  |  | 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 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
nah, it's a long coil of wool or silk that the king wanted her to spin every day

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1943-pg7439-part2:t8:o1:1
# text = nah, it's a long coil of wool or silk that the king wanted her to spin every day
1	nah	nah	INTJ	UH	_	7	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	coil	coil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	wool	wool	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	silk	silk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	conj	_	_
12	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	15	mark	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	king	king	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nsubj	_	_
15	wanted	want	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	advcl	_	_
16	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	obj	_	_
17	to	to	PART	TO	_	18	mark	_	_
18	spin	spin	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	15	xcomp	_	_
19	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	20	det	_	_
20	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	obl:unmarked	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | it | a long coil |  |  |  | of wool or silk | tree rules |
| 2 | **want** | past | the king | her *= she* |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **spin** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | her *= she* *not said here* |  |  |  | day |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP.theme V»: agent=Theme |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
yeah, it's a kind of sweet

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1943-pg7439-part2:t8:o2:1
# text = yeah, it's a kind of sweet
1	yeah	yeah	INTJ	UH	_	6	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|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	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	kind	kind	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	sweet	sweet	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | it | a kind |  |  |  | of sweet | tree rules |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
nah, it's a loop of yarn, like wool

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1943-pg7439-part2:t8:o3:1
# text = nah, it's a loop of yarn, like wool
1	nah	nah	INTJ	UH	_	6	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|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	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	loop	loop	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	yarn	yarn	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
10	like	like	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	wool	wool	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | it | a loop and wool |  |  |  | of yarn | tree rules |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
nah, it's a loop of yarn, like wool, that you spin on a wheel to make thread

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1943-pg7439-part2:t8:o4:1
# text = nah, it's a loop of yarn, like wool, that you spin on a wheel to make thread
1	nah	nah	INTJ	UH	_	6	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|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	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	loop	loop	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	yarn	yarn	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
10	like	like	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	wool	wool	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
13	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	15	mark	_	_
14	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	15	nsubj	_	_
15	spin	spin	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	parataxis	_	_
16	on	on	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	wheel	wheel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obl	_	_
19	to	to	PART	TO	_	20	mark	_	_
20	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	15	advcl	_	_
21	thread	thread	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | it | a loop and wool |  |  |  | of yarn | tree rules |
| 2 | **spin** | present | you |  |  | a wheel |  |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V PP.trajectory»: agent=Theme on wheel=Trajectory |
| 3 | **make** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* | thread |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset thread=Product |

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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 -->

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- ← previous: [English Fairy Tales, Tom Tit Tot, part…, test 7](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/1943-pg7439-part2/t7/)
- next →: [English Fairy Tales, Tom Tit Tot, part…, test 9](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/1943-pg7439-part2/t9/)
- ↑ back to [English Fairy Tales, Tom Tit Tot, part 1: a lazy girl must spin five skeins a day or lose her head, and a little black impet offers to help](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/1943-pg7439-part2/)