---
title: Wait, so why'd the Ant sting the birdcatcher, was it, like, on purpo… — Aesop's Fables, The Birdcatcher and th… · tree and pragmatics
description: Wait, so why'd the Ant sting the birdcatcher, was it, like, on purpose? Test 1 · ★ of lesson 393 «Aesop's Fables, The Birdcatcher and the Cock, part 14: a bird begs for its life, a Cock argues, and many short animal tales follow» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree
---

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# Test 1 · ★ · Aesop's Fables, The Birdcatcher and the Cock, part 14: a b…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Wait, so why'd the Ant sting the birdcatcher, was it, like, on purpose?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 2 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** you, Ant sting · **What happens:** wait, be · **To what, where:** sting

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 1 · ★ of lesson 393 «Aesop's Fables, The Birdcatcher and the Cock, part 14: a bird begs for its life, a Cock argues, and many short animal tales follow» 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/393-pg21-part14/#t1).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:393-pg21-part14:t1:1
# text = Wait, so why'd the Ant sting the birdcatcher, was it, like, on purpose?
1	Wait	wait	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
3	so	so	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
4	why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	13	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	'd	'd	PUNCT	``	_	13	punct	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	Ant	ant	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	sting	sting	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nsubj	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	birdcatcher	birdcatcher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
12	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
13	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	1	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
15	like	like	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
17	on	on	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
18	purpose	purpose	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wait** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | like purpose | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **is a** | past | the Ant sting | sting |  |  |  |  | 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 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Yeah, it had been watching the Birdcatcher all morning and wanted to warn the Dove before it was too late

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:393-pg21-part14:t1:o1:1
# text = Yeah, it had been watching the Birdcatcher all morning and wanted to warn the Dove before it was too late
1	Yeah	yeah	INTJ	UH	_	6	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
4	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
5	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	6	aux	_	_
6	watching	watch	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	Birdcatcher	Birdcatcher	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	10	det	_	_
10	morning	morning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl:unmarked	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	wanted	want	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	conj	_	_
13	to	to	PART	TO	_	14	mark	_	_
14	warn	warn	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	xcomp	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	Dove	dove	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obj	_	_
17	before	before	SCONJ	IN	_	21	mark	_	_
18	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	21	nsubj	_	_
19	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	21	cop	_	_
20	too	too	ADV	RB	_	21	advmod	_	_
21	late	late	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	advcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **watch** | past · perfect · progressive | it | the Birdcatcher |  |  | morning |  | vn assessment-34.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent birdcatcher=Theme |
| 2 | **want** | past |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot clause=Theme |
| 3 | **warn** *speech: warn* *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  | the Dove |  |  |  |  | vn advise-37.9-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent dove=Recipient |
| 4 | **is** | past | Dove |  |  |  |  | late *property* | tree rules |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Yeah, it saw him setting up to nab the Dove

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:393-pg21-part14:t1:o2:1
# text = Yeah, it saw him setting up to nab the Dove
1	Yeah	yeah	INTJ	UH	_	4	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
3	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	saw	see	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	obj	_	_
6	setting	set	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	4	xcomp	_	_
7	up	up	ADP	RP	_	6	compound:prt	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	nab	nab	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	Dove	Dove	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **see** | past | it | him *= he* |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **set up** | gerund | him *= he* *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4-1 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 3 | **nab** | to-infinitive | him *= he* *not said here* | the Dove |  |  |  |  | vn prosecute-33.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent dove=Patient |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Nah, it was just bitten by chance

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:393-pg21-part14:t1:o3:1
# text = Nah, it was just bitten by chance
1	Nah	nah	INTJ	UH	_	6	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux:pass	_	_
5	just	just	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	bitten	bite	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
7	by	by	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	chance	chance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **bite** | past · passive | chance | it |  |  |  |  | vn swat-18.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent subject=Patient |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Yeah, it spotted him creeping along the branch with his net and decided to stop him

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:393-pg21-part14:t1:o4:1
# text = Yeah, it spotted him creeping along the branch with his net and decided to stop him
1	Yeah	yeah	INTJ	UH	_	4	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
3	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	spotted	spot	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	obj	_	_
6	creeping	creep	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	advcl	_	_
7	along	along	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	branch	branch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
10	with	with	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	12	nmod:poss	_	_
12	net	net	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
13	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	decided	decide	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
15	to	to	PART	TO	_	16	mark	_	_
16	stop	stop	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	14	xcomp	_	_
17	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **spot** | past | it |  | him *= he* |  |  |  | vn fill-9.8-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme he=Destination |
| 2 | **creep** | gerund |  |  |  | the branch |  | with his net | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme along branch=Trajectory |
| 3 | **decide** | past |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V what S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 4 | **stop** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  | him *= he* |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V NP.eventuality»: agent=Subeventuality he=Eventuality |

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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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- ← previous: [Aesop's Fables, The Old Hound: a hound…, exam 4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/392-pg21-part13/e4/)
- next →: [Aesop's Fables, The Birdcatcher and th…, test 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/393-pg21-part14/t2/)
- ↑ back to [Aesop's Fables, The Birdcatcher and the Cock, part 14: a bird begs for its life, a Cock argues, and many short animal tales follow](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/393-pg21-part14/)