---
title: «Feb-ru-ary, who even says that r? just drop it». What is the fair a… — i before e, silent letters and other f… · tree and pragmatics
description: «Feb-ru-ary, who even says that r? just drop it». What is the fair answer? Test 7 · ★ of lesson 10 «i before e, silent letters and other famous traps» of the English course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option; Mova's choice was wrong.
---

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# Test 7 · ★ · i before e, silent letters and other famous traps

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Feb-ru-ary, who even says that r? just drop it». What is the fair answer?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** r, fair answer · **What happens:** say, drop, be · **To what, where:** it · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 7 · ★ of lesson 10 «i before e, silent letters and other famous traps» of the English 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/english/10-i-before-e-silent-letters-and-famous-traps/#t7).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* «Feb-ru-ary, who even says that r? just drop it».

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:10-i-before-e-silent-letters-and-famous-traps:t7:1
# text = «Feb-ru-ary, who even says that r? just drop it».
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Feb	February	PROPN	NNP	Abbr=Yes|Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	ru	ru	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	ary	ary	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
8	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	10	nsubj	_	_
9	even	even	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
10	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	conj	_	_
11	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	15	mark	_	_
12	r	r	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	12	punct	_	_
14	just	just	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
15	drop	drop	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	ccomp	_	_
16	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: ask* *in a quote* | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **drop** *in a quote* | infinitive | r | it |  |  |  |  | vn put\_direction-9.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=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.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* What is the fair answer?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:10-i-before-e-silent-letters-and-famous-traps:t7:2
# text = What is the fair answer?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	0	root	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	fair	fair	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	answer	answer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the fair answer |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is spelled «Febuary» now

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:10-i-before-e-silent-letters-and-famous-traps:t7:o1:1
# text = It is spelled «Febuary» now
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	spelled	spell	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	Febuary	February	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
7	now	now	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	3	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **spell** | present · passive |  | It |  |  | now; february |  | vn pronounce-29.3.1 «NP V NP ADVP»: subject=Theme |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Only Americans spell it with the r; in Britain it has been dropped from spelling

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:10-i-before-e-silent-letters-and-famous-traps:t7:o2:1
# text = Only Americans spell it with the r; in Britain it has been dropped from spelling
1	Only	only	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
2	Americans	American	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	spell	spell	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	obj	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	r	r	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	14	punct	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	Britain	Britain	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	_
11	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj:pass	_	_
12	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	aux	_	_
13	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	14	aux:pass	_	_
14	dropped	drop	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	conj	_	_
15	from	from	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
16	spelling	spelling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **spell** | present | Americans | it |  |  |  | with the r | vn pronounce-29.3.1 «NP V NP PP.manner»: agent=Agent it=Theme with r=Manner |
| 2 | **drop** | present · perfect · passive |  | r |  | Britain |  | from spelling | vn put\_direction-9.4 «NP V NP PP.initial\_location PP.destination»: subject=Theme in britain=Destination from spelling=Initial\_Location |

### Option 3 · ✓ the right answer {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Many don't say it, but the spelling keeps it

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:10-i-before-e-silent-letters-and-famous-traps:t7:o3:1
# text = Many don't say it, but the spelling keeps it
1	Many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	nsubj	_	_
2	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	say	say	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
7	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	spelling	spelling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
10	keeps	keep	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	parataxis	_	_
11	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **say** *speech: assert* | present · do-support | Many | it |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent it=Topic |
| 2 | **keep** | present | the spelling | it |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Theme |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Drop it; spelling should follow speech

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:10-i-before-e-silent-letters-and-famous-traps:t7:o4:1
# text = Drop it; spelling should follow speech
1	Drop	drop	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	1	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
4	spelling	spelling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
5	should	should	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	follow	follow	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	conj	_	_
7	speech	speech	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **drop** | imperative | you *not said here* | it |  |  |  |  | vn put\_direction-9.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Theme |
| 2 | **follow** | should | spelling | speech |  |  |  |  | vn chase-51.6 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent speech=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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- ↑ back to [i before e, silent letters and other famous traps](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/english/10-i-before-e-silent-letters-and-famous-traps/)