---
title: Ascertain the content of the message chalked upon the water-tank on… — Just So Stories, How the Alphabet Was… · tree and pragmatics
description: Ascertain the content of the message chalked upon the water-tank on the following morning. Exam question 2 of lesson 89 «Just So Stories, How the Alphabet Was Made, part 3: «the Alphabet, all complete», and how letters really began» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency t
---

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# Exam question 2 · Just So Stories, How the Alphabet Was Made, part 3: «the A…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ascertain the content of the message chalked upon the water-tank on the following morning.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 3 · **The right answer:** option 3 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** you, content · **What happens:** ascertain, chalk, follow

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 2 of lesson 89 «Just So Stories, How the Alphabet Was Made, part 3: «the Alphabet, all complete», and how letters really began» 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/89-justso-alphabet-3-the-alphabet-all-complete/#e2).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:89-justso-alphabet-3-the-alphabet-all-complete:e2:1
# text = Ascertain the content of the message chalked upon the water-tank on the following morning.
1	Ascertain	ascertain	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	content	content	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	message	message	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	_
7	chalked	chalk	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	1	parataxis	_	_
8	upon	upon	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
10	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	tank	tank	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
13	on	on	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
15	following	follow	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	16	amod	_	_
16	morning	morning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ascertain** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **chalk** | past | the content of the message |  |  |  | morning | upon the water tank | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **follow** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- .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 -->
Shu-ya, the rain was coming

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:89-justso-alphabet-3-the-alphabet-all-complete:e2:o1:1
# text = Shu-ya, the rain was coming
1	Shu	shu	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	1	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	ya	ya	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	rain	rain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	_
7	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
8	coming	come	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come** | past · progressive | Shu ya and the rain |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ya-las, the water was ending, so fetch some from the spring

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:89-justso-alphabet-3-the-alphabet-all-complete:e2:o2:1
# text = Ya-las, the water was ending, so fetch some from the spring
1	Ya	Ya	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	1	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	las	la	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	dislocated	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
7	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
8	ending	end	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
10	so	so	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
11	fetch	fetch	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	8	parataxis	_	_
12	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	11	obj	_	_
13	from	from	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	spring	spring	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **end** | past · progressive | the water |  |  |  |  | Ya las *dislocated* | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |
| 2 | **fetch** | infinitive |  | some |  |  | spring |  | vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent some=Theme |

### Option 3 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ya-las, the water was ending

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:89-justso-alphabet-3-the-alphabet-all-complete:e2:o3:1
# text = Ya-las, the water was ending
1	Ya	Ya	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	1	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	las	la	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	dislocated	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
7	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
8	ending	end	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **end** | past · progressive | the water |  |  |  |  | Ya las *dislocated* | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ya-las, the water was ending, and Mummy must boil it first

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:89-justso-alphabet-3-the-alphabet-all-complete:e2:o4:1
# text = Ya-las, the water was ending, and Mummy must boil it first
1	Ya	Ya	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	1	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	las	la	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	dislocated	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
7	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
8	ending	end	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
11	Mummy	Mummy	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	13	nsubj	_	_
12	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	13	aux	_	_
13	boil	boil	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	conj	_	_
14	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	obj	_	_
15	first	first	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	13	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **end** | past · progressive | the water |  |  |  |  | Ya las *dislocated* | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |
| 2 | **boil** | must | Mummy | water |  |  |  | first *property* | vn cooking-45.3 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent it=Patient |

<!-- 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 -->

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- ← previous: [Just So Stories, How the Alphabet Was…, exam 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/89-justso-alphabet-3-the-alphabet-all-complete/e1/)
- next →: [Just So Stories, How the Alphabet Was…, exam 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/89-justso-alphabet-3-the-alphabet-all-complete/e3/)
- ↑ back to [Just So Stories, How the Alphabet Was Made, part 3: «the Alphabet, all complete», and how letters really began](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/89-justso-alphabet-3-the-alphabet-all-complete/)