---
title: Zara: «Taffy could write, she just didn't feel like it, delulu teach… — Just So Stories, How the First Letter… · tree and pragmatics
description: Zara: «Taffy could write, she just didn't feel like it, delulu teacher said otherwise.» (delulu = believing something silly) Put it right. Test 1 · ★ of lesson 84 «Just So Stories, How the First Letter Was Written, part 1: a broken spear and a picture on birch-bark» of the books course of Mova's pri
---

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# Test 1 · ★ · Just So Stories, How the First Letter Was Written, part 1:…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Zara: «Taffy could write, she just didn't feel like it, delulu teacher said otherwise.» (delulu = believing something silly) Put it right.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** Zara, Taffy, delulu teacher, you · **What happens:** write, not feel, say, believe, put · **To what, where:** something, it · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 1 · ★ of lesson 84 «Just So Stories, How the First Letter Was Written, part 1: a broken spear and a picture on birch-bark» 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/84-justso-first-letter-1-a-broken-spear/#t1).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Zara: «Taffy could write, she just didn't feel like it, delulu teacher said otherwise.»

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:84-justso-first-letter-1-a-broken-spear:t1:1
# text = Zara: «Taffy could write, she just didn't feel like it, delulu teacher said otherwise.»
1	Zara	Zara	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	6	punct	_	_
3	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	Taffy	Taffy	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
5	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	write	write	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
8	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
9	just	just	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
10	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	12	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	12	advmod	_	_
12	feel	feel	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
13	like	like	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
16	delulu	delulu	X	FW	Foreign=Yes	17	compound	_	_
17	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	nsubj	_	_
18	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	12	conj	_	_
19	otherwise	otherwise	ADV	RB	_	18	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write** *in a quote* | could | Zara |  |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **not** **feel** *in a quote* | past · do-support | Taffy |  |  |  |  | like it | vn conjecture-29.5-2 «NP V S»: agent=Agent like it=Theme |
| 3 | **say** *speech: assert* *in a quote* | past | delulu teacher |  |  |  |  | otherwise *property* | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .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:* (delulu = believing something silly) Put it right.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:84-justso-first-letter-1-a-broken-spear:t1:2
# text = (delulu = believing something silly) Put it right.
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	delulu	delulu	X	FW	Foreign=Yes	8	dep	_	_
3	=	=	SYM	SYM	_	4	punct	_	_
4	believing	believe	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	8	advcl	_	_
5	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	4	obj	_	_
6	silly	silly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	5	punct	_	_
8	Put	put	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	_
10	right	right	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **believe** | gerund | you *not said here* | something |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer something=Stimulus |
| 2 | **put** | imperative | you *not said here* | it |  |  |  | right *property* | vn invest-13.5.4-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent it=Goal |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Taffy could not write, she only drew pictures instead of words

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:84-justso-first-letter-1-a-broken-spear:t1:o1:1
# text = Taffy could not write, she only drew pictures instead of words
1	Taffy	Taffy	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	write	write	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
6	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
7	only	only	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	drew	draw	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
9	pictures	picture	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obj	_	_
10	instead	instead	ADV	RB	ExtPos=ADP	12	case	_	_
11	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	fixed	_	_
12	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **write** | could | Taffy |  |  |  |  | instead words | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **draw** | past | Taffy | pictures |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent picture=Theme |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Taffy could not write, only draw pictures

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:84-justso-first-letter-1-a-broken-spear:t1:o2:1
# text = Taffy could not write, only draw pictures
1	Taffy	Taffy	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	write	write	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
6	only	only	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	draw	draw	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	conj	_	_
8	pictures	picture	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **write** | could | Taffy |  |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **draw** | infinitive | Taffy *not said here* | pictures |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent picture=Theme |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Taffy never wrote because the family used only drawing and speech

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:84-justso-first-letter-1-a-broken-spear:t1:o3:1
# text = Taffy never wrote because the family used only drawing and speech
1	Taffy	Taffy	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	wrote	write	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	family	family	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	used	use	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	ccomp	_	_
8	only	only	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	drawing	draw	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	7	advcl	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	speech	speech	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **write** | past | Taffy |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **use** | past | the family |  |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **draw** | gerund | the family *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

### Option 4 · ✓ the right answer {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Nobody in the family could read or write; Taffy can only draw

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:84-justso-first-letter-1-a-broken-spear:t1:o4:1
# text = Nobody in the family could read or write; Taffy can only draw
1	Nobody	nobody	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	6	nsubj	_	_
2	in	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	family	family	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nmod	_	_
5	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	read	read	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	write	write	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
10	Taffy	Taffy	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	13	nsubj	_	_
11	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	13	aux	_	_
12	only	only	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
13	draw	draw	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **read** | could | Nobody |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **write** | infinitive | Nobody *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **draw** | can | Taffy |  |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

<!-- 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 -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [Just So Stories, The Beginning of the…, exam 4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/83-justso-armadillos-2-the-first-armadillo/e4/)
- next →: [Just So Stories, How the First Letter…, test 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/84-justso-first-letter-1-a-broken-spear/t2/)
- ↑ back to [Just So Stories, How the First Letter Was Written, part 1: a broken spear and a picture on birch-bark](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/84-justso-first-letter-1-a-broken-spear/)