---
title: A Gen Alpha kid says "storyboards are just comics, they're mid." ("M… — Planning before writing · tree and pragmatics
description: A Gen Alpha kid says "storyboards are just comics, they're mid." ("Mid" means not very good.) What is true? Test 9 of lesson 39 «Planning before writing» 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 righ
---

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# Test 9 · Planning before writing

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A Gen Alpha kid says "storyboards are just comics, they're mid." ("Mid" means not very good.) What is true?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** Gen kid, storyboards, Mid · **What happens:** say, be, not mean · **To what, where:** comics · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 9 of lesson 39 «Planning before writing» 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/39-planning-before-writing/#t9).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* A Gen Alpha kid says "storyboards are just comics, they're mid."

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:39-planning-before-writing:t9:1
# text = A Gen Alpha kid says "storyboards are just comics, they're mid."
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
2	Gen	Gen	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
3	Alpha	Alpha	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	flat	_	_
4	kid	kid	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	storyboards	storyboard	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	nsubj	_	_
8	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
9	just	just	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
10	comics	comic	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
12	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	're	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	cop	_	_
14	mid	mid	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	14	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | a Gen kid |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is a** *in a quote* | present | storyboards | comics |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **is** *in a quote* | present | storyboards *= storyboard* |  |  |  |  | mid *property* | 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:* ("Mid" means not very good.)

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:39-planning-before-writing:t9:2
# text = ("Mid" means not very good.)
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	Mid	Mid	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
5	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	5	advmod	_	_
7	very	very	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **mean** | present | Mid |  |  |  |  | good *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 3:* What is true?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:39-planning-before-writing:t9:3
# text = What is true?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

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

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Storyboards are real plans used by film makers too

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:39-planning-before-writing:t9:o1:1
# text = Storyboards are real plans used by film makers too
1	Storyboards	storyboard	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	real	real	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	plans	plan	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
5	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	acl	_	_
6	by	by	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	film	film	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	makers	maker	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	_
9	too	too	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Storyboards | real plans |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **use** | participle |  | real plans *not said here* |  |  |  | by film makers | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Comics can never help anyone with their writing

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:39-planning-before-writing:t9:o2:1
# text = Comics can never help anyone with their writing
1	Comics	comic	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	help	help	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	anyone	anyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	4	obj	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	writing	writing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **help** | can | Comics |  | anyone |  |  | with Comics's writing | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.theme»: agent=Agent anyone=Beneficiary with writing=Theme |
| 2 | **write** |  | Comics *= comic* |  |  |  |  |  | nom writing «act transitive»: poss=agent |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Storyboards are only used in maths lessons at school

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:39-planning-before-writing:t9:o3:1
# text = Storyboards are only used in maths lessons at school
1	Storyboards	storyboard	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
3	only	only	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	maths	math	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	compound	_	_
7	lessons	lesson	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	_
8	at	at	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | present · passive |  | Storyboards |  | maths lessons at school |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Storyboards are only for babies who can't write yet

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:39-planning-before-writing:t9:o4:1
# text = Storyboards are only for babies who can't write yet
1	Storyboards	storyboard	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	only	only	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
4	for	for	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	babies	baby	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
6	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	9	nsubj	_	_
7	ca	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	9	advmod	_	_
9	write	write	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	acl:relcl	_	_
10	yet	yet	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Storyboards |  |  |  |  | for babies | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **write** | can | babies |  |  |  | yet |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

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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.

<!-- /div -->

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