---
title: «quickly's an adjective, it describes stuff, innit». What's the best… — Word classes: the jobs words do · tree and pragmatics
description: «quickly's an adjective, it describes stuff, innit». What's the best reply? Test 1 · ★ of lesson 27 «Word classes: the jobs words do» 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.
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/english/27-word-classes-the-jobs-words-do/t1/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[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/) / [English](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/english/) / [Word classes: the jobs words do](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/english/27-word-classes-the-jobs-words-do/) / t1

# Test 1 · ★ · Word classes: the jobs words do

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«quickly's an adjective, it describes stuff, innit». What's the best reply?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 4 · **The right answer:** option 1 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** adjective, best reply · **What happens:** be, describe, innit · **To what, where:** adjective, stuff

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 1 · ★ of lesson 27 «Word classes: the jobs words do» 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/27-word-classes-the-jobs-words-do/#t1).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* «quickly's an adjective, it describes stuff, innit».

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:27-word-classes-the-jobs-words-do:t1:1
# text = «quickly's an adjective, it describes stuff, innit».
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	quickly	quickly	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	adjective	adjective	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	describes	describe	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	parataxis	_	_
9	stuff	stuff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
11	innit	innit	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	8	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** *in a quote* | present |  | a adjective |  |  |  | quickly *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **describe** *in a quote* | present | adjective | stuff |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent stuff=Theme |
| 3 | **innit** *in a quote* | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | 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.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* What's the best reply?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:27-word-classes-the-jobs-words-do:t1:2
# text = What's the best reply?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	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	best	good	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	5	amod	_	_
5	reply	reply	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 best reply |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It's an adverb: it tells how something is done

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:27-word-classes-the-jobs-words-do:t1:o1:1
# text = It's an adverb: it tells how something is done
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	adverb	adverb	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	7	punct	_	_
6	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	tells	tell	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	parataxis	_	_
8	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	11	advmod	_	_
9	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	11	nsubj	_	_
10	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux:pass	_	_
11	done	do	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	ccomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | It | a adverb |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **tell** *speech: assert* | present | adverb |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **do** | present · passive |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Eventuality |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It's a verb, because it's about moving fast

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:27-word-classes-the-jobs-words-do:t1:o2:1
# text = It's a verb, because it's about moving fast
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	verb	verb	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
6	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
9	about	about	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
10	moving	move	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	conj	_	_
11	fast	fast	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	10	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | It | a verb |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **move** | present · progressive | verb |  |  |  |  | about, fast *property* | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP.theme V»: agent=Theme |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It's a noun, because it ends in -ly

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:27-word-classes-the-jobs-words-do:t1:o3:1
# text = It's a noun, because it ends in -ly
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	noun	noun	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
6	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	ends	end	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	acl:relcl	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	ly	ly	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | It | a noun |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **end** | present | noun | a noun *not said here* |  | ly |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V NP.eventuality»: agent=Subeventuality noun=Eventuality |

### Option 4 · ← Mova's choice {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Yes, all describing words are adjectives

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:27-word-classes-the-jobs-words-do:t1:o4:1
# text = Yes, all describing words are adjectives
1	Yes	yes	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Pos	7	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	5	det	_	_
4	describing	describe	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	amod	_	_
5	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
6	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	adjectives	adjective	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **describe** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is a** | present | all describing words | adjectives |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- 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: [Sentences: capital letters, full stops…, exam 4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/english/26-sentences-capital-letters-full-stops-and-the-four-types/e4/)
- next →: [Word classes: the jobs words do, test 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/english/27-word-classes-the-jobs-words-do/t2/)
- ↑ back to [Word classes: the jobs words do](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/english/27-word-classes-the-jobs-words-do/)