---
title: ★★★ Which version builds the most suspense about what is in the box? — Building tension and suspense · tree and pragmatics
description: ★★★ Which version builds the most suspense about what is in the box? Test 2 · ★★ of lesson 42 «Building tension and suspense» 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 2 · ★★ · Building tension and suspense

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
★★★ Which version builds the most suspense about what is in the box?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** ★ ★ ★, suspense · **What happens:** build, be · **To what, where:** suspense

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 2 · ★★ of lesson 42 «Building tension and suspense» 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/42-building-tension-and-suspense/#t2).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:42-building-tension-and-suspense:t2:1
# text = ★★★ Which version builds the most suspense about what is in the box?
1	★	★	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	★	★	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	★	★	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	Which	which	DET	WDT	PronType=Int	5	det	_	_
5	version	version	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod:unmarked	_	_
6	builds	build	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	most	most	ADV	RBS	Degree=Sup	9	advmod	_	_
9	suspense	suspense	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
10	about	about	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
11	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	15	nsubj	_	_
12	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	15	cop	_	_
13	in	in	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	box	box	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **build** | present | ★ ★ ★  which version | the suspense |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset suspense=Product |
| 2 | **is** | present | the suspense |  |  |  |  | about the box | 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 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The box had a kitten, a ball and a blanket in it.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:42-building-tension-and-suspense:t2:o1:1
# text = The box had a kitten, a ball and a blanket in it.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	box	box	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	kitten	kitten	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	ball	ball	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	appos	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	blanket	blanket	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	conj	_	_
12	in	in	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | the box | a kitten |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent kitten=Patient |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Inside the box was a small, friendly, sleepy kitten.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:42-building-tension-and-suspense:t2:o2:1
# text = Inside the box was a small, friendly, sleepy kitten.
1	Inside	inside	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	box	box	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
6	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
8	friendly	friendly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
10	sleepy	sleepy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	kitten	kitten	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past |  | a small friendly sleepy kitten |  | the box |  |  | tree rules |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
There was a kitten in the box, and it was really sweet.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:42-building-tension-and-suspense:t2:o3:1
# text = There was a kitten in the box, and it was really sweet.
1	There	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	2	expl	_	_
2	was	be	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	kitten	kitten	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	box	box	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
10	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
11	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
12	really	really	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
13	sweet	sweet	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **be** | past | a kitten in the box |  |  | there |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | past | kitten |  |  |  |  | sweet *property* | tree rules |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The lid moved. Just a little. From the inside.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* The lid moved.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:42-building-tension-and-suspense:t2:o4:1
# text = The lid moved.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	lid	lid	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	moved	move	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **move** | past | the lid |  |  |  |  |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP.theme V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* Just a little.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:42-building-tension-and-suspense:t2:o4:2
# text = Just a little.
1	Just	just	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 3:* From the inside.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:42-building-tension-and-suspense:t2:o4:3
# text = From the inside.
1	From	from	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	inside	inside	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

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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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- ← previous: [Building tension and suspense, test 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/english/42-building-tension-and-suspense/t1/)
- next →: [Building tension and suspense, test 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/english/42-building-tension-and-suspense/t3/)
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