---
title: Select the response consistent with the established facts concerning… — How to learn spellings that stick · tree and pragmatics
description: Select the response consistent with the established facts concerning spaced practice. Exam question 2 of lesson 15 «How to learn spellings that stick» 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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# Exam question 2 · How to learn spellings that stick

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Select the response consistent with the established facts concerning spaced practice.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 3 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** you, established facts · **What happens:** select, establish, concern, space · **To what, where:** response, spaced practice

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 2 of lesson 15 «How to learn spellings that stick» of the English 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/english/15-how-to-learn-spellings-that-stick/#e2).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:15-how-to-learn-spellings-that-stick:e2:1
# text = Select the response consistent with the established facts concerning spaced practice.
1	Select	select	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	response	response	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	consistent	consistent	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	xcomp	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	established	establish	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	amod	_	_
8	facts	fact	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	_
9	concerning	concern	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	8	acl	_	_
10	spaced	space	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	11	amod	_	_
11	practice	practice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **select** | imperative | you *not said here* | the response |  |  |  | consistent *property* | vn obtain-13.5.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent response=Theme |
| 2 | **establish** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn indicate-78-1-1 «NP V NP to be NP»: agent=Pivot |
| 3 | **concern** | gerund | the established facts *not said here* | spaced practice |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus practice=Experiencer |
| 4 | **space** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | 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 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Practice is of no benefit whatever to spelling

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:15-how-to-learn-spellings-that-stick:e2:o1:1
# text = Practice is of no benefit whatever to spelling
1	Practice	practice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	5	det	_	_
5	benefit	benefit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	whatever	whatever	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	5	nmod	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	spelling	spelling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Practice |  |  |  |  | of no benefit; whatever *nmod* | tree rules |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Practice is beneficial only when undertaken in silence at a desk, in the absence of any distraction whatsoever, for a period of not less than one hour

<!-- fold The tree, 27 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:15-how-to-learn-spellings-that-stick:e2:o2:1
# text = Practice is beneficial only when undertaken in silence at a desk, in the absence of any distraction whatsoever, for a period of not less than one hour
1	Practice	practice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	beneficial	beneficial	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	only	only	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
5	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	6	advmod	_	_
6	undertaken	undertake	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	advcl	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	silence	silence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
9	at	at	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	desk	desk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
13	in	in	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	absence	absence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	parataxis	_	_
16	of	of	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	18	det	_	_
18	distraction	distraction	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nmod	_	_
19	whatsoever	whatsoever	ADV	RB	_	18	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	23	punct	_	_
21	for	for	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
22	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	23	det	_	_
23	period	period	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
24	of	of	ADP	IN	_	29	case	_	_
25	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	26	advmod	_	_
26	less	less	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp|ExtPos=ADV	29	advmod	_	_
27	than	than	ADP	IN	_	26	fixed	_	_
28	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	29	nummod	_	_
29	hour	hour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	23	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Practice |  |  |  |  | beneficial *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **undertake** | participle | Practice *not said here* |  |  | silence at a desk |  | for a period of one hour | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |
| 3 | **absent** |  |  | any distraction |  |  |  |  | nom absence «state transitive»: of=patient |

### Option 3 · ← Mova's choice {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Material crammed into a single evening is retained longest

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:15-how-to-learn-spellings-that-stick:e2:o3:1
# text = Material crammed into a single evening is retained longest
1	Material	material	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	crammed	cram	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	1	acl	_	_
3	into	into	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	single	single	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	evening	evening	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux:pass	_	_
8	retained	retain	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
9	longest	long	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	8	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cram** | participle |  | Material *not said here* |  |  | evening |  | vn learn-14-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **retain** | present · passive |  | Material |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Small amounts studied over several days are retained better than amounts crammed into one session

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:15-how-to-learn-spellings-that-stick:e2:o4:1
# text = Small amounts studied over several days are retained better than amounts crammed into one session
1	Small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	amounts	amount	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	studied	study	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	over	over	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
5	several	several	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	days	day	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
7	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux:pass	_	_
8	retained	retain	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	ccomp	_	_
9	better	good	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	8	xcomp	_	_
10	than	than	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	amounts	amount	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obl	_	_
12	crammed	cram	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	advcl	_	_
13	into	into	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	15	nummod	_	_
15	session	session	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **study** | past | Small amounts |  |  |  |  |  | vn learn-14-2-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **retain** | present · passive |  | several days |  |  |  | good *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **cram** | participle |  |  |  | one session |  |  | vn spray-9.7-1-1 «NP V PP.destination»: agent=Theme into session=Destination |

<!-- 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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