---
title: «It must have been that, unless it was written to nobody, which isn'… — Alice in Wonderland, chapter XII, part… · tree and pragmatics
description: «It must have been that, unless it was written to nobody, which isn't usual.» What is silly about the King's reasoning? Test 10 · ★★★ of lesson 23 «Alice in Wonderland, chapter XII, part 1: Alice's Evidence (Rule Forty-two and the unsigned letter)» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with 
---

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# Test 10 · ★★★ · Alice in Wonderland, chapter XII, part 1: Alice's Evidence…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«It must have been that, unless it was written to nobody, which isn't usual.» What is silly about the King's reasoning?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 2 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** King · **What happens:** be, write, not be, reason · **To what, where:** that, It, nobody

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 10 · ★★★ of lesson 23 «Alice in Wonderland, chapter XII, part 1: Alice's Evidence (Rule Forty-two and the unsigned letter)» 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/23-alice-alices-evidence-1/#t10).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* «It must have been that, unless it was written to nobody, which isn't usual.»

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:23-alice-alices-evidence-1:t10:1
# text = «It must have been that, unless it was written to nobody, which isn't usual.»
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
4	have	have	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	aux	_	_
5	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	6	cop	_	_
6	that	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
8	unless	unless	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj:pass	_	_
10	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux:pass	_	_
11	written	write	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
12	to	to	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	nobody	nobody	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
15	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	18	nsubj	_	_
16	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	18	cop	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	18	advmod	_	_
18	usual	usual	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** *in a quote* | participle |  | that |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **write** *in a quote* | must · passive |  | It | nobody |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: subject=Topic to nobody=Recipient |
| 3 | **not** **is** *in a quote* | present |  |  |  |  |  | usual *property* | 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.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* What is silly about the King's reasoning?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:23-alice-alices-evidence-1:t10:2
# text = What is silly about the King's reasoning?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	silly	silly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	about	about	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	King	King	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	's	's	PART	POS	_	6	case	_	_
8	reasoning	reasoning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | about the King's reasoning; silly *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **reason** |  | the King |  |  |  |  |  | nom reasoning «cognition intransitive»: poss=agent |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He says the letter is written to somebody, so it is proof

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:23-alice-alices-evidence-1:t10:o1:1
# text = He says the letter is written to somebody, so it is proof
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	letter	letter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj:pass	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux:pass	_	_
6	written	write	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	ccomp	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	somebody	somebody	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
10	so	so	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
11	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
12	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
13	proof	proof	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | He |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **write** | present · passive |  | the letter | somebody |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: subject=Topic to somebody=Recipient |
| 3 | **is** | present | letter |  |  |  |  | proof *property* | tree rules |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He says a letter is written to somebody, which tells us nothing new

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:23-alice-alices-evidence-1:t10:o2:1
# text = He says a letter is written to somebody, which tells us nothing new
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	letter	letter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj:pass	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux:pass	_	_
6	written	write	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	ccomp	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	somebody	somebody	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
10	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	11	nsubj	_	_
11	tells	tell	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	acl:relcl	_	_
12	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	11	iobj	_	_
13	nothing	nothing	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	11	obj	_	_
14	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | He |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **write** | present · passive |  | a letter | somebody |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: subject=Topic to somebody=Recipient |
| 3 | **tell** *speech: assert* | present |  | nothing | us |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent we=Recipient nothing=Topic |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He says a letter is always written to somebody, which tells us nothing new about the Knave at all

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:23-alice-alices-evidence-1:t10:o3:1
# text = He says a letter is always written to somebody, which tells us nothing new about the Knave at all
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	letter	letter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj:pass	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux:pass	_	_
6	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	7	advmod	_	_
7	written	write	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	ccomp	_	_
8	to	to	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	somebody	somebody	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
11	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	12	nsubj	_	_
12	tells	tell	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	acl:relcl	_	_
13	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	12	iobj	_	_
14	nothing	nothing	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	12	obj	_	_
15	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
16	about	about	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	Knave	knave	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obl	_	_
19	at	at	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
20	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	12	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | He |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **write** | present · passive |  | a letter | somebody |  |  | always *property* | vn say-37.7-1 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: subject=Topic to somebody=Recipient |
| 3 | **tell** *speech: assert* | present |  | nothing | us | all |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent we=Recipient nothing=Topic |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He says a letter is written to somebody, which tells us nothing new and is said as if it were a clever clue

<!-- fold The tree, 23 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:23-alice-alices-evidence-1:t10:o4:1
# text = He says a letter is written to somebody, which tells us nothing new and is said as if it were a clever clue
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	letter	letter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj:pass	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux:pass	_	_
6	written	write	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	ccomp	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	somebody	somebody	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
10	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	11	nsubj	_	_
11	tells	tell	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	acl:relcl	_	_
12	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	11	iobj	_	_
13	nothing	nothing	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	11	obj	_	_
14	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
15	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
16	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	17	aux:pass	_	_
17	said	say	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	11	conj	_	_
18	as	as	ADP	IN	ExtPos=ADP	24	case	_	_
19	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	18	fixed	_	_
20	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	24	nsubj	_	_
21	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	24	cop	_	_
22	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	24	det	_	_
23	clever	clever	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	24	amod	_	_
24	clue	clue	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | He |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **write** | present · passive |  | a letter | somebody |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: subject=Topic to somebody=Recipient |
| 3 | **tell** *speech: assert* | present |  | nothing | us |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent we=Recipient nothing=Topic |
| 4 | **say** *speech: assert* | present · passive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S» |
| 5 | **is** | past | letter |  |  |  |  | as a clever clue | 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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- ← previous: [Alice in Wonderland, chapter XII, part…, test 9](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/23-alice-alices-evidence-1/t9/)
- next →: [Alice in Wonderland, chapter XII, part…, test 11](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/23-alice-alices-evidence-1/t11/)
- ↑ back to [Alice in Wonderland, chapter XII, part 1: Alice's Evidence (Rule Forty-two and the unsigned letter)](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/23-alice-alices-evidence-1/)