---
title: By what means did the young lord ascertain the identity of his partn… — English Fairy Tales, Catskin: Catskin… · tree and pragmatics
description: By what means did the young lord ascertain the identity of his partner at the third assembly? Exam question 2 of lesson 263 «English Fairy Tales, Catskin: Catskin wins her lord, and her father is found» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the ques
---

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# Exam question 2 · English Fairy Tales, Catskin: Catskin wins her lord, and h…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
By what means did the young lord ascertain the identity of his partner at the third assembly?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **What happens:** mean, do, ascertain · **To what, where:** young lord, identity · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 2 of lesson 263 «English Fairy Tales, Catskin: Catskin wins her lord, and her father is found» 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/263-pg14241-part30/#e2).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:263-pg14241-part30:e2:1
# text = By what means did the young lord ascertain the identity of his partner at the third assembly?
1	By	by	SCONJ	IN	_	3	mark	_	_
2	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	3	nsubj	_	_
3	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	advcl	_	_
4	did	do	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	ccomp	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	young	young	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	lord	lord	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
8	ascertain	ascertain	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	identity	identity	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
11	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	13	nmod:poss	_	_
13	partner	partner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	_
14	at	at	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
16	third	third	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	17	amod	_	_
17	assembly	assembly	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	?	?	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 clause=Topic |
| 2 | **do** | past |  | the young lord |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent lord=Eventuality |
| 3 | **ascertain** | present |  | the identity of his partner at the third assembly |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent identity=Topic |

<!-- .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 -->
By hiring a spy from the town who followed her carriage through the forest and reported back to him each morning

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:263-pg14241-part30:e2:o1:1
# text = By hiring a spy from the town who followed her carriage through the forest and reported back to him each morning
1	By	by	SCONJ	IN	_	2	mark	_	_
2	hiring	hire	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	16	advcl	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	spy	spy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	from	from	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	town	town	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
8	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	9	nsubj	_	_
9	followed	follow	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	acl:relcl	_	_
10	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	11	nmod:poss	_	_
11	carriage	carriage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
12	through	through	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	forest	forest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
15	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
16	reported	report	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
17	back	back	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	_
18	to	to	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
19	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	obl	_	_
20	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	21	det	_	_
21	morning	morning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obl:unmarked	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hire** | gerund |  | a spy |  | the town |  |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP PP.source»: agent=Agent spy=Theme from town=Source |
| 2 | **follow** | past | the town | her carriage |  | the forest |  |  | vn chase-51.6 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent carriage=Theme through forest=Trajectory |
| 3 | **report back** | past |  |  | him *= he* |  | morning |  | vn subordinate-95.2.1 «NP V PP.co-agent»: agent=Agent to he=Co-Agent |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
By pursuing her all the way to the forest and secretly watching her change into her rags behind a tree at dusk

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:263-pg14241-part30:e2:o2:1
# text = By pursuing her all the way to the forest and secretly watching her change into her rags behind a tree at dusk
1	By	by	SCONJ	IN	_	2	mark	_	_
2	pursuing	pursue	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
3	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	obj	_	_
4	all	all	DET	PDT	PronType=Tot	6	det:predet	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl:unmarked	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	forest	forest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
11	secretly	secretly	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
12	watching	watch	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	conj	_	_
13	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	14	nmod:poss	_	_
14	change	change	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	_
15	into	into	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	17	nmod:poss	_	_
17	rags	rag	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	obl	_	_
18	behind	behind	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
19	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
20	tree	tree	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	_
21	at	at	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
22	dusk	dusk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pursue** | gerund |  | her *= she* |  | the forest |  | all way *obl:unmarked* | vn chase-51.6 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent she=Theme to forest=Trajectory |
| 2 | **watch** | gerund |  | her change |  | her rags |  | behind a tree at dusk; secretly *property* | vn assessment-34.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent change=Theme |
| 3 | **change** |  | her *= she* |  |  |  |  |  | nom change «event intransitive»: poss=agent |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
By pursuing her to the forest and witnessing her change of attire

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:263-pg14241-part30:e2:o3:1
# text = By pursuing her to the forest and witnessing her change of attire
1	By	by	SCONJ	IN	_	2	mark	_	_
2	pursuing	pursue	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
3	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	obj	_	_
4	to	to	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	forest	forest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	witnessing	witness	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	conj	_	_
9	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
10	change	change	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
11	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	attire	attire	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pursue** | gerund |  | her *= she* |  | the forest |  |  | vn chase-51.6 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent she=Theme to forest=Trajectory |
| 2 | **witness** | gerund |  | her change of attire |  |  |  |  | vn captain-29.8-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent change=Beneficiary |
| 3 | **change** |  | attire |  |  |  |  |  | nom change «event intransitive»: of=agent |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
By searching every village in the kingdom for the girl

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:263-pg14241-part30:e2:o4:1
# text = By searching every village in the kingdom for the girl
1	By	by	SCONJ	IN	_	2	mark	_	_
2	searching	search	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
3	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	4	det	_	_
4	village	village	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	kingdom	kingdom	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
8	for	for	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	girl	girl	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **search** | gerund |  | every village |  | the kingdom |  | for the girl | vn search-35.2 «NP V NP PP.theme»: agent=Agent village=Location for girl=Theme |

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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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