---
title: A Gen Z cousin says "That ending had me screaming, I'm literally dec… — Building tension and suspense · tree and pragmatics
description: A Gen Z cousin says "That ending had me screaming, I'm literally deceased." ("Deceased" here means it was so good she's joking that she died.) Which ending did she probably read? Test 8 · ★★ of lesson 42 «Building tension and suspense» of the English course of Mova's primary school, with the depende
---

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# Test 8 · ★★ · Building tension and suspense

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A Gen Z cousin says "That ending had me screaming, I'm literally deceased." ("Deceased" here means it was so good she's joking that she died.) Which ending did she probably read?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 3 · **The right answer:** option 3 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** Z cousin, ending, cousin · **What happens:** say, have, scream, decease, mean, be · **To what, where:** Z cousin · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 8 · ★★ 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/#t8).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* A Gen Z cousin says "That ending had me screaming, I'm literally deceased."

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:42-building-tension-and-suspense:t8:1
# text = A Gen Z cousin says "That ending had me screaming, I'm literally deceased."
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
2	Gen	gen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	Z	z	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	cousin	cousin	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	``	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	That	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	8	det	_	_
8	ending	ending	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
9	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	ccomp	_	_
10	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	9	obj	_	_
11	screaming	scream	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	9	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
13	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	16	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	'm	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	16	aux	_	_
15	literally	literally	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	_
16	deceased	decease	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	5	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	16	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | a Z cousin |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **have** *in a quote* | past | that ending | a Z cousin *= cousin* |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **scream** *speech: express* *in a quote* | gerund | a Z cousin *= cousin* *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **decease** *in a quote* | present · passive | a Z cousin *= cousin* |  |  |  |  | literally *property* | vn die-42.4 «NP V»: agent=Patient |

<!-- .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:* ("Deceased" here means it was so good she's joking that she died.)

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:42-building-tension-and-suspense:t8:2
# text = ("Deceased" here means it was so good she's joking that she died.)
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	Deceased	decease	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
5	here	here	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	3	advmod	_	_
6	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
8	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
9	so	so	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
10	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	ccomp	_	_
11	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	aux	_	_
13	joking	joke	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	10	conj	_	_
14	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	16	mark	_	_
15	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	nsubj	_	_
16	died	die	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **decease** *in a quote* | participle |  |  |  | here |  |  | vn die-42.4 «NP V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **is** | past | ending |  |  |  |  | good *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **joke** *speech: other* | present · progressive | cousin |  |  |  |  |  | vn chit\_chat-37.6 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 5 | **die** | past | cousin |  |  |  |  |  | vn calibratable\_cos-45.6.1 «NP.attribute V»: agent=Attribute |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 3:* Which ending did she probably read?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:42-building-tension-and-suspense:t8:3
# text = Which ending did she probably read?
1	Which	which	DET	WDT	PronType=Int	2	det	_	_
2	ending	ending	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
4	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
5	probably	probably	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	read	read	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **read** | past · do-support | which ending |  |  |  |  | probably *property* | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Then they went home and slept.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:42-building-tension-and-suspense:t8:o1:1
# text = Then they went home and slept.
1	Then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	3	advmod	_	_
2	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	home	home	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	slept	sleep	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go** | past | they |  |  |  | then | home *property* | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **sleep** | past | they *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn snooze-40.4-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The end, thank you for reading.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:42-building-tension-and-suspense:t8:o2:1
# text = The end, thank you for reading.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	end	end	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	thank	thank	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	4	obj	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	reading	reading	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **thank** *speech: thank* | present | the end |  | you |  |  | for reading | vn judgment-33.1-1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Agent you=Theme for reading=Attribute |

### Option 3 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The phone lit up: "I'm in your house."

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:42-building-tension-and-suspense:t8:o3:1
# text = The phone lit up: "I'm in your house."
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	phone	phone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
3	lit	lit	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	up	up	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	11	punct	_	_
6	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	'm	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	11	nmod:poss	_	_
11	house	house	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lit up** | participle |  | the phone *not said here* |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** *in a quote* | present | the phone |  |  | your house |  |  | tree rules |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
And they all lived happily ever after.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:42-building-tension-and-suspense:t8:o4:1
# text = And they all lived happily ever after.
1	And	and	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
2	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
3	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	4	advmod	_	_
4	lived	live	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	happily	happily	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
6	ever	ever	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	7	advmod	_	_
7	after	after	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **live** | past | they |  |  |  |  | after, happily *property* | vn exist-47.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

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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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