---
title: Which precise phrase did the protagonist utter to command the cudgel… — English Fairy Tales, The Ass, the Tabl… · tree and pragmatics
description: Which precise phrase did the protagonist utter to command the cudgel to act? Exam question 3 of lesson 1973 «English Fairy Tales, The Ass, the Table, and the Stick: Jack gets three magic gifts, loses two, and wins his sweetheart» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree
---

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# Exam question 3 · English Fairy Tales, The Ass, the Table, and the Stick: Ja…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Which precise phrase did the protagonist utter to command the cudgel to act?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 3 · **The right answer:** option 2 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** precise phrase · **What happens:** do, command, act · **To what, where:** protagonist, cudgel · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 3 of lesson 1973 «English Fairy Tales, The Ass, the Table, and the Stick: Jack gets three magic gifts, loses two, and wins his sweetheart» 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/1973-pg7439-part32/#e3).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1973-pg7439-part32:e3:1
# text = Which precise phrase did the protagonist utter to command the cudgel to act?
1	Which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	4	obj	_	_
2	precise	precise	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	phrase	phrase	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	did	do	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	protagonist	protagonist	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	utter	utter	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	command	command	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	xcomp	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	cudgel	cudgel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
12	to	to	PART	TO	_	13	mark	_	_
13	act	act	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | past | precise phrase | the protagonist |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **command** | to-infinitive | precise phrase *not said here* | the cudgel |  |  |  |  | vn supervision-95.2.2-1 «NP V NP.predicate»: agent=Agent cudgel=Eventuality |
| 3 | **act** | to-infinitive | precise phrase *not said here* | the cudgel *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1-1 «NP V»: agent=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 -->
"Up stick and bang him hard, and don't stop till he's down!" was the cry

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1973-pg7439-part32:e3:o1:1
# text = "Up stick and bang him hard, and don't stop till he's down!" was the cry
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Up	Up	PROPN	ADD	_	5	nsubj	_	_
3	stick	stick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	fixed	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	bang	bang	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	21	csubj	_	_
6	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	obj	_	_
7	hard	hard	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
10	do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	12	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	12	advmod	_	_
12	stop	stop	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	conj	_	_
13	till	till	SCONJ	IN	_	16	mark	_	_
14	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	16	cop	_	_
16	down	down	ADV	RB	_	12	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
19	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	21	cop	_	_
20	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
21	cry	cry	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **bang** *in a quote* | infinitive | Up | him *= he* |  |  |  | hard *property* | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location he=Theme |
| 2 | **not** **stop** *in a quote* | infinitive · do-support | Up *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |
| 3 | **is** *in a quote* | present | Up |  |  |  |  | down *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **be** *speech: express* | past |  | the cry |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

### Option 2 · ✓ the right answer {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"Up stick and bang him!" was the cry

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1973-pg7439-part32:e3:o2:1
# text = "Up stick and bang him!" was the cry
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Up	Up	PROPN	ADD	_	3	compound	_	_
3	stick	stick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	bang	bang	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	conj	_	_
6	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
9	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	cry	cry	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **bang** *in a quote* | infinitive |  | him *= he* |  |  |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location he=Theme |
| 2 | **be** *speech: express* | past |  | the cry |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

### Option 3 · ← Mova's choice {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"Stick, go and beat them all!"

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1973-pg7439-part32:e3:o3:1
# text = "Stick, go and beat them all!"
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Stick	stick	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
4	go	go	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	beat	beat	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
7	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	7	nmod:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stick** *in a quote* | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn shake-22.3-2 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **go** *in a quote* | infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **beat** *in a quote* | infinitive | you *not said here* | them *= they* |  |  |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location they=Theme |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"Stick, rise up and bang him, go on, bang him, bang him!" was the cry

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1973-pg7439-part32:e3:o4:1
# text = "Stick, rise up and bang him, go on, bang him, bang him!" was the cry
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Stick	stick	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	22	csubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
4	rise	rise	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	conj	_	_
5	up	up	ADP	RP	_	4	compound:prt	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	bang	bang	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	conj	_	_
8	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
10	go	go	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	conj	_	_
11	on	on	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
13	bang	bang	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	2	parataxis	_	_
14	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
16	bang	bang	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	2	parataxis	_	_
17	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
20	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	22	cop	_	_
21	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
22	cry	cry	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stick** *in a quote* | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn shake-22.3-2 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **rise up** *in a quote* | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **bang** *in a quote* | infinitive |  | him *= he* |  |  |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location he=Theme |
| 4 | **go on** *in a quote* | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn function-105.2.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 5 | **bang** *in a quote* | infinitive |  | him *= he* |  |  |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location he=Theme |
| 6 | **bang** *in a quote* | infinitive |  | him *= he* |  |  |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location he=Theme |
| 7 | **be** *speech: express* | past |  | the cry |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- 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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