--- title: Ellie from Alabama: «Taffy was fixin' to run home herself.» (fixin'… — Just So Stories, How the First Letter… · tree and pragmatics description: Ellie from Alabama: «Taffy was fixin' to run home herself.» (fixin' to = about to) Why didn't she? Test 14 · ★ 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, with the dependency tree a --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/84-justso-first-letter-1-a-broken-spear/t14/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [questions](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/) / [Books](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/) / [Just So Stories, How the First Letter…](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/84-justso-first-letter-1-a-broken-spear/) / t14 # Test 14 · ★ · Just So Stories, How the First Letter Was Written, part 1:… Ellie from Alabama: «Taffy was fixin' to run home herself.» (fixin' to = about to) Why didn't she? **Mova's choice:** option 4 · **The right answer:** option 4 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** Ellie · **What happens:** fixin, run, do · **To what, where:** Taffy This is test 14 · ★ 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/#t14). ## The question {#question} *Sentence 1:* Ellie from Alabama: «Taffy was fixin' to run home herself.» ```conllu # sent_id = question:books:84-justso-first-letter-1-a-broken-spear:t14:1 # text = Ellie from Alabama: «Taffy was fixin' to run home herself.» 1 Ellie Ellie PROPN NNP Number=Sing 8 nsubj _ _ 2 from from ADP IN _ 3 case _ _ 3 Alabama Alabama PROPN NNP Number=Sing 1 nmod _ SpaceAfter=No 4 : : PUNCT : _ 8 punct _ _ 5 « « PUNCT `` _ 8 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 6 Taffy Taffy PROPN NNP Number=Sing 8 nsubj _ _ 7 was be AUX VBD Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 8 aux _ _ 8 fixin fixin VERB VBG Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part 0 root _ SpaceAfter=No 9 ' ' PUNCT '' _ 8 punct _ _ 10 to to PART TO _ 11 mark _ _ 11 run run VERB VB VerbForm=Inf 8 xcomp _ _ 12 home home ADV RB _ 11 advmod _ _ 13 herself herself PRON PRP Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes 11 obl _ SpaceAfter=No 14 . . PUNCT . _ 8 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 15 » » PUNCT '' _ 8 punct _ _ ``` | # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | **fixin** *in a quote* | past · progressive | Ellie from Alabama | | | | | | tree rules | | 2 | **run** *in a quote* | to-infinitive | Ellie from Alabama *not said here* | Taffy | | | | home *property* | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme | 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. *Sentence 2:* (fixin' to = about to) Why didn't she? ```conllu # sent_id = question:books:84-justso-first-letter-1-a-broken-spear:t14:2 # text = (fixin' to = about to) Why didn't she? 1 ( ( PUNCT -LRB- _ 2 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 2 fixin fixin NOUN NN Number=Sing 0 root _ SpaceAfter=No 3 ' ' PUNCT '' _ 2 punct _ _ 4 to to PART TO _ 6 mark _ _ 5 = = SYM SYM _ 6 punct _ _ 6 about about ADP IN _ 2 acl:relcl _ _ 7 to to ADP IN _ 6 fixed _ SpaceAfter=No 8 ) ) PUNCT -RRB- _ 2 punct _ _ 9 Why why ADV WRB PronType=Int 2 advmod _ _ 10 did do VERB VBD Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 2 conj _ SpaceAfter=No 11 n't not PART RB Polarity=Neg 12 advmod _ _ 12 she she PRON PRP Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs 10 nsubj _ SpaceAfter=No 13 ? ? PUNCT . _ 2 punct _ _ ``` | # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | **do** | past | Ellie | | | | | | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent | ## The options {#options} ### Option 1 {#o1} Daddy said that she must stay with him by the river bank ```conllu # sent_id = question:books:84-justso-first-letter-1-a-broken-spear:t14:o1:1 # text = Daddy said that she must stay with him by the river bank 1 Daddy Daddy PROPN NNP Number=Sing 2 nsubj _ _ 2 said say VERB VBD Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 0 root _ _ 3 that that SCONJ IN _ 6 mark _ _ 4 she she PRON PRP Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs 6 nsubj _ _ 5 must must AUX MD VerbForm=Fin 6 aux _ _ 6 stay stay VERB VB VerbForm=Inf 2 ccomp _ _ 7 with with ADP IN _ 8 case _ _ 8 him he PRON PRP Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs 6 obl _ _ 9 by by ADP IN _ 12 case _ _ 10 the the DET DT Definite=Def|PronType=Art 12 det _ _ 11 river river NOUN NN Number=Sing 12 compound _ _ 12 bank bank NOUN NN Number=Sing 6 obl _ _ ``` | # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | Daddy | | | | | | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic | | 2 | **stay** | must | Daddy | | | | | with him *= he*; by the river bank | vn exist-47.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme by bank=Location | ### Option 2 {#o2} Daddy forbade her because the path is steep ```conllu # sent_id = question:books:84-justso-first-letter-1-a-broken-spear:t14:o2:1 # text = Daddy forbade her because the path is steep 1 Daddy Daddy PROPN NNP Number=Sing 2 nsubj _ _ 2 forbade forbid VERB VBD Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 0 root _ _ 3 her she PRON PRP Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs 2 obj _ _ 4 because because SCONJ IN _ 8 mark _ _ 5 the the DET DT Definite=Def|PronType=Art 6 det _ _ 6 path path NOUN NN Number=Sing 8 nsubj _ _ 7 is be AUX VBZ Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin 8 cop _ _ 8 steep steep ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 2 advcl _ _ ``` | # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | **forbid** | past | Daddy | her *= she* | | | | | vn forbid-64.4-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Causer she=Theme | | 2 | **is** | present | the path | | | | | steep *property* | tree rules | ### Option 3 {#o3} She was too tired and the path was too long for a small child ```conllu # sent_id = question:books:84-justso-first-letter-1-a-broken-spear:t14:o3:1 # text = She was too tired and the path was too long for a small child 1 She she PRON PRP Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs 4 nsubj _ _ 2 was be AUX VBD Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 4 cop _ _ 3 too too ADV RB _ 4 advmod _ _ 4 tired tired ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 0 root _ _ 5 and and CCONJ CC _ 10 cc _ _ 6 the the DET DT Definite=Def|PronType=Art 7 det _ _ 7 path path NOUN NN Number=Sing 10 nsubj _ _ 8 was be AUX VBD Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 10 cop _ _ 9 too too ADV RB _ 10 advmod _ _ 10 long long ADV RB Degree=Pos 4 conj _ _ 11 for for ADP IN _ 14 case _ _ 12 a a DET DT Definite=Ind|PronType=Art 14 det _ _ 13 small small ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 14 amod _ _ 14 child child NOUN NN Number=Sing 10 obl _ _ ``` | # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | **is** | past | She | | | | | tired *property* | tree rules | | 2 | **is** | past | the path | | | | | for a small child; long *property* | tree rules | ### Option 4 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o4} Daddy said it was too far and she might fall in the beaver-swamp ```conllu # sent_id = question:books:84-justso-first-letter-1-a-broken-spear:t14:o4:1 # text = Daddy said it was too far and she might fall in the beaver-swamp 1 Daddy Daddy PROPN NNP Number=Sing 2 nsubj _ _ 2 said say VERB VBD Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 0 root _ _ 3 it it PRON PRP Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs 6 nsubj _ _ 4 was be AUX VBD Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 6 cop _ _ 5 too too ADV RB _ 6 advmod _ _ 6 far far ADV RB Degree=Pos 2 ccomp _ _ 7 and and CCONJ CC _ 10 cc _ _ 8 she she PRON PRP Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs 10 nsubj _ _ 9 might might AUX MD VerbForm=Fin 10 aux _ _ 10 fall fall VERB VB VerbForm=Inf 2 conj _ _ 11 in in ADP IN _ 15 case _ _ 12 the the DET DT Definite=Def|PronType=Art 15 det _ _ 13 beaver beaver NOUN NN Number=Sing 15 compound _ SpaceAfter=No 14 - - PUNCT HYPH _ 13 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 15 swamp swamp NOUN NN Number=Sing 10 obl _ _ ``` | # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | Daddy | | | | | | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent | | 2 | **is** | past | it | | | | | far *property* | tree rules | | 3 | **fall** | might | Daddy | | | the beaver swamp | | | vn occur-48.3 «NP V PP»: agent=Theme in swamp=Location | **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. - ← previous: [Just So Stories, How the First Letter…, test 13](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/84-justso-first-letter-1-a-broken-spear/t13/) - next →: [Just So Stories, How the First Letter…, test 15](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/84-justso-first-letter-1-a-broken-spear/t15/) - ↑ 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/)