---
title: And the shepherd nabbed the wolf by accident in the dark? — Aesop's Fables, The Cat and the Cock:… · tree and pragmatics
description: And the shepherd nabbed the wolf by accident in the dark? Test 4 · ★ of lesson 386 «Aesop's Fables, The Cat and the Cock: a cat invents an excuse to eat a cock, and a wolf in sheep's clothing is killed by mistake» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics 
---

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# Test 4 · ★ · Aesop's Fables, The Cat and the Cock: a cat invents an exc…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
And the shepherd nabbed the wolf by accident in the dark?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 3 · **The right answer:** option 2 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** shepherd · **What happens:** nab · **To what, where:** wolf, dark

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 4 · ★ of lesson 386 «Aesop's Fables, The Cat and the Cock: a cat invents an excuse to eat a cock, and a wolf in sheep's clothing is killed by mistake» 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/386-pg21-part7/#t4).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:386-pg21-part7:t4:1
# text = And the shepherd nabbed the wolf by accident in the dark?
1	And	and	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	shepherd	shepherd	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	nabbed	nab	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	wolf	wolf	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	by	by	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	accident	accident	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	dark	dark	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **nab** | past | the shepherd | the wolf |  | the dark |  | by accident | vn prosecute-33.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent wolf=Patient |

<!-- .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 -->
Yeah, he snatched a dog by mistake

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:386-pg21-part7:t4:o1:1
# text = Yeah, he snatched a dog by mistake
1	Yeah	yeah	INTJ	UH	_	4	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
3	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	snatched	snatch	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	by	by	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	mistake	mistake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **snatch** | past | he | a dog |  |  |  | by mistake | vn obtain-13.5.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent dog=Theme |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Yeah, grabbed him instead of a sheep

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:386-pg21-part7:t4:o2:1
# text = Yeah, grabbed him instead of a sheep
1	Yeah	yeah	INTJ	UH	_	3	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
3	grabbed	grab	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	obj	_	_
5	instead	instead	ADV	RB	ExtPos=ADP	8	case	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	fixed	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	sheep	sheep	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **grab** | past |  | him *= he* |  |  |  | instead a sheep | vn steal-10.5-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent he=Theme |

### Option 3 · ← Mova's choice {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Yeah, he grabbed the wolf instead of a sheep when it was dark and he couldn't see properly

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:386-pg21-part7:t4:o3:1
# text = Yeah, he grabbed the wolf instead of a sheep when it was dark and he couldn't see properly
1	Yeah	yeah	INTJ	UH	_	4	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
3	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	grabbed	grab	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	wolf	wolf	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	instead	instead	ADV	RB	ExtPos=ADP	10	case	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	fixed	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	sheep	sheep	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
11	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	14	mark	_	_
12	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
13	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	14	cop	_	_
14	dark	dark	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	advcl	_	_
15	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
16	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	19	nsubj	_	_
17	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	19	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	19	advmod	_	_
19	see	see	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	conj	_	_
20	properly	properly	ADV	RB	_	19	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **grab** | past | he | the wolf |  |  |  | instead a sheep | vn steal-10.5-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent wolf=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | past | wolf |  |  |  |  | dark *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **not** **see** | could | sheep |  |  |  |  | properly *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Nah, he was actually looking for his lost dog when he grabbed the wild beast by accident

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:386-pg21-part7:t4:o4:1
# text = Nah, he was actually looking for his lost dog when he grabbed the wild beast by accident
1	Nah	nah	INTJ	UH	_	6	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
5	actually	actually	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	looking	look	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
7	for	for	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
9	lost	lose	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	10	amod	_	_
10	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
11	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	13	advmod	_	_
12	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
13	grabbed	grab	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	advcl	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
15	wild	wild	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	beast	beast	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obj	_	_
17	by	by	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
18	accident	accident	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** | past · progressive | he |  |  |  |  | for his lost dog; actually *property* | vn rummage-35.5 «NP V PP.location PP.theme»: agent=Agent for dog=Theme |
| 2 | **lose** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **grab** | past | dog | the wild beast |  |  |  | by accident | vn steal-10.5-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent beast=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.

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- ← previous: [Aesop's Fables, The Cat and the Cock:…, test 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/386-pg21-part7/t3/)
- next →: [Aesop's Fables, The Cat and the Cock:…, test 5](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/386-pg21-part7/t5/)
- ↑ back to [Aesop's Fables, The Cat and the Cock: a cat invents an excuse to eat a cock, and a wolf in sheep's clothing is killed by mistake](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/386-pg21-part7/)