---
title: Was the sieve any use, or what? — Irish Fairy Tales, The Horned Women: a… · tree and pragmatics
description: Was the sieve any use, or what? Test 4 · ★ of lesson 1988 «Irish Fairy Tales, The Horned Women: a night of witches and a sieve of water» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option; Mova's choice was wrong.
---

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# Test 4 · ★ · Irish Fairy Tales, The Horned Women: a night of witches an…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Was the sieve any use, or what?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 2 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **What happens:** be · **To what, where:** sieve

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 4 · ★ of lesson 1988 «Irish Fairy Tales, The Horned Women: a night of witches and a sieve of water» 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/1988-pg7885-part7/#t4).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1988-pg7885-part7:t4:1
# text = Was the sieve any use, or what?
1	Was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	sieve	sieve	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	csubj	_	_
4	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	5	det	_	_
5	use	use	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	5	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past |  | the sieve |  |  |  |  | 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 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Aye, once she plastered the whole thing with clay and moss and rushes, it finally held water

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1988-pg7885-part7:t4:o1:1
# text = Aye, once she plastered the whole thing with clay and moss and rushes, it finally held water
1	Aye	aye	INTJ	UH	_	5	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	once	once	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Mult	5	advmod	_	_
4	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
5	plastered	plaster	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	18	advcl	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	whole	whole	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	thing	thing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
9	with	with	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	clay	clay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	moss	moss	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	conj	_	_
13	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	rushes	rush	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
16	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	18	nsubj	_	_
17	finally	finally	ADV	RB	_	18	advmod	_	_
18	held	hold	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
19	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **plaster** | past | she | the whole thing |  |  |  | with clay and moss; once *property* | vn spray-9.7-1 «NP V NP.destination PP.theme»: agent=Agent thing=Destination with clay=Theme |
| 2 | **rush** | present | she *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **hold** | past | thing | water |  |  |  | finally *property* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent water=Theme |

### Option 2 · ← Mova's choice {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Aye, once she plastered it thick with yellow clay and moss, it held the water fine

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1988-pg7885-part7:t4:o2:1
# text = Aye, once she plastered it thick with yellow clay and moss, it held the water fine
1	Aye	aye	INTJ	UH	_	5	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	once	once	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Mult	5	advmod	_	_
4	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
5	plastered	plaster	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	15	advcl	_	_
6	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	obj	_	_
7	thick	thick	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	xcomp	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	yellow	yellow	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	clay	clay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	moss	moss	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
14	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	nsubj	_	_
15	held	hold	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obj	_	_
18	fine	fine	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **plaster** | past | she | it |  |  |  | once, thick *property* | vn spray-9.7-1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent it=Theme |
| 2 | **hold** | past | moss | the water |  |  |  | fine *property* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent water=Theme |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Aye, once she plastered it with clay, it held

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1988-pg7885-part7:t4:o3:1
# text = Aye, once she plastered it with clay, it held
1	Aye	aye	INTJ	UH	_	5	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	once	once	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Mult	5	advmod	_	_
4	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
5	plastered	plaster	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	advcl	_	_
6	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	obj	_	_
7	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	clay	clay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
10	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
11	held	hold	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **plaster** | past | she | it |  |  |  | with clay; once *property* | vn spray-9.7-1 «NP V NP.destination PP.theme»: agent=Agent it=Destination with clay=Theme |
| 2 | **hold** | past | clay |  |  |  |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Nah, it kept leaking till she sealed it with moss

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1988-pg7885-part7:t4:o4:1
# text = Nah, it kept leaking till she sealed it with moss
1	Nah	nah	INTJ	UH	_	4	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|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	leaking	leak	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	4	xcomp	_	_
6	till	till	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
7	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	sealed	seal	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	advcl	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	_
10	with	with	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	moss	moss	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **keep** | past | it |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **leak** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn substance\_emission-43.4-1 «NP V»: agent=Source |
| 3 | **seal** | past | she | it |  |  |  | with moss | vn tape-22.4 «NP V NP PP.co-patient PP.instrument»: agent=Agent it=Patient with moss=Instrument |

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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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