---
title: «y's a consonant, it's in the alphabet with the consonants, no way i… — Vowel teams, split digraphs and choosi… · tree and pragmatics
description: «y's a consonant, it's in the alphabet with the consonants, no way it's a vowel». What is the fair reply? Test 6 · ★ of lesson 4 «Vowel teams, split digraphs and choosing the spelling» of the English course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each
---

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# Test 6 · ★ · Vowel teams, split digraphs and choosing the spelling

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«y's a consonant, it's in the alphabet with the consonants, no way it's a vowel». What is the fair reply?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 4 · **The right answer:** option 1 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** y, consonant, way, fair reply · **What happens:** be · **To what, where:** consonant, alphabet, vowel

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 6 · ★ of lesson 4 «Vowel teams, split digraphs and choosing the spelling» 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/4-vowel-teams-split-digraphs-and-choosing-the-spelling/#t6).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* «y's a consonant, it's in the alphabet with the consonants, no way it's a vowel».

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:4-vowel-teams-split-digraphs-and-choosing-the-spelling:t6:1
# text = «y's a consonant, it's in the alphabet with the consonants, no way it's a vowel».
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	y	y	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	consonant	consonant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	alphabet	alphabet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	appos	_	_
12	with	with	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	consonants	consonant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
16	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	17	det	_	_
17	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	nsubj	_	_
18	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	21	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	21	cop	_	_
20	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
21	vowel	vowel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	21	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** *in a quote* | present | y | a consonant |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** *in a quote* | present | consonant |  |  | the alphabet |  | with the consonants | tree rules |
| 3 | **is a** *in a quote* | present | no way | a vowel |  |  |  |  | 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 is the fair reply?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:4-vowel-teams-split-digraphs-and-choosing-the-spelling:t6:2
# text = What is the fair reply?
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	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 fair reply |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## The options {#options}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
At the start of «yes» it is, but in «my» and «happy» it works as a vowel

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:4-vowel-teams-split-digraphs-and-choosing-the-spelling:t6:o1:1
# text = At the start of «yes» it is, but in «my» and «happy» it works as a vowel
1	At	at	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	start	start	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	yes	yes	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Pos	9	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	is	be	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	21	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
11	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
12	in	in	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	18	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	14	punct	_	_
16	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
17	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	happy	happy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	18	punct	_	_
20	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	21	nsubj	_	_
21	works	work	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
22	as	as	ADP	IN	_	24	case	_	_
23	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	24	det	_	_
24	vowel	vowel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **be** | present | start |  |  | the start |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **work** | present | start |  |  |  |  | as a vowel | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Y is neither, it is a silent letter in every word it appears in, even «yes»

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:4-vowel-teams-split-digraphs-and-choosing-the-spelling:t6:o2:1
# text = Y is neither, it is a silent letter in every word it appears in, even «yes»
1	Y	y	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
3	neither	neither	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	silent	silent	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	letter	letter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	12	det	_	_
12	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	_
13	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
14	appears	appear	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	acl:relcl	_	_
15	in	in	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
17	even	even	ADV	RB	_	19	advmod	_	_
18	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	19	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	yes	yes	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Pos	9	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	19	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Y | a silent letter |  | every word |  | neither *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **appear** | present | it | every word *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location word=Theme |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Y is only ever a vowel, it just looks like a consonant

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:4-vowel-teams-split-digraphs-and-choosing-the-spelling:t6:o3:1
# text = Y is only ever a vowel, it just looks like a consonant
1	Y	y	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
3	only	only	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
4	ever	ever	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	6	advmod	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	vowel	vowel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
9	just	just	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
10	looks	look	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	conj	_	_
11	like	like	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	consonant	consonant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Y | a vowel |  |  | ever |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **look** | present | Y |  |  |  |  | like a consonant | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Stimulus |

### Option 4 · ← Mova's choice {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She is right, y is only ever a consonant

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:4-vowel-teams-split-digraphs-and-choosing-the-spelling:t6:o4:1
# text = She is right, y is only ever a consonant
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	right	right	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
5	y	y	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
7	only	only	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
8	ever	ever	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	10	advmod	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	consonant	consonant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | She |  |  |  |  | right *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **is a** | present | y | a consonant |  |  | ever |  | 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 -->

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- next →: [Vowel teams, split digraphs and choosi…, test 7](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/english/4-vowel-teams-split-digraphs-and-choosing-the-spelling/t7/)
- ↑ back to [Vowel teams, split digraphs and choosing the spelling](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/english/4-vowel-teams-split-digraphs-and-choosing-the-spelling/)