---
title: «lefties write wrong, my nan says they made 'em use their right hand… — Handwriting: holding the pencil and jo… · tree and pragmatics
description: «lefties write wrong, my nan says they made 'em use their right hand back in the day». What is true? Test 1 of lesson 5 «Handwriting: holding the pencil and joining up» of the English course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option; Mova's 
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/english/5-handwriting-holding-the-pencil-and-joining-up/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/) / [Handwriting: holding the pencil and jo…](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/english/5-handwriting-holding-the-pencil-and-joining-up/) / t1

# Test 1 · Handwriting: holding the pencil and joining up

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«lefties write wrong, my nan says they made 'em use their right hand back in the day». What is true?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** lefties, nan · **What happens:** write, say, use, be · **To what, where:** right hand · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 1 of lesson 5 «Handwriting: holding the pencil and joining up» 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/5-handwriting-holding-the-pencil-and-joining-up/#t1).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* «lefties write wrong, my nan says they made 'em use their right hand back in the day».

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:5-handwriting-holding-the-pencil-and-joining-up:t1:1
# text = «lefties write wrong, my nan says they made 'em use their right hand back in the day».
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	lefties	leftie	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	write	write	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
6	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	nan	nan	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
8	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
9	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
10	made	may	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	12	aux	_	_
11	'em	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
12	use	use	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	ccomp	_	_
13	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	15	nmod:poss	_	_
14	right	right	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	hand	hand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	_
16	back	back	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
17	in	in	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write** *in a quote* | present | lefties |  |  |  |  | wrong *property* | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* *in a quote* | present | my nan |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **use** *in a quote* | may | lefties *= leftie* | lefties's right hand |  |  | day |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent hand=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:* What is true?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:5-handwriting-holding-the-pencil-and-joining-up:t1:2
# 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 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Left-handers really do write wrongly

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:5-handwriting-holding-the-pencil-and-joining-up:t1:o1:1
# text = Left-handers really do write wrongly
1	Left	left	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	1	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	handers	hander	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
4	really	really	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
5	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	write	write	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
7	wrongly	wrongly	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write** | present · do-support | Left handers |  |  |  |  | wrongly *property* | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Left-handers can only ever write capital letters, so they should practise with the right hand

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:5-handwriting-holding-the-pencil-and-joining-up:t1:o2:1
# text = Left-handers can only ever write capital letters, so they should practise with the right hand
1	Left	left	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	1	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	handers	hander	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
4	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
5	only	only	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
6	ever	ever	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	7	advmod	_	_
7	write	write	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
8	capital	capital	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	letters	letter	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
11	so	so	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	_
12	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
13	should	should	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	14	aux	_	_
14	practise	practise	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	conj	_	_
15	with	with	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
17	right	right	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
18	hand	hand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write** | can | Left handers | capital letters |  |  | ever |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent letter=Theme |
| 2 | **practise** | should | handers *= hander* |  |  |  |  | with the right hand | tree rules |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Forcing the right hand was a good idea that helped

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:5-handwriting-holding-the-pencil-and-joining-up:t1:o3:1
# text = Forcing the right hand was a good idea that helped
1	Forcing	force	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	8	csubj	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	right	right	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	hand	hand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
5	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	idea	idea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
9	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	10	nsubj	_	_
10	helped	help	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	acl:relcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **force** | gerund |  | the right hand |  |  |  |  | vn urge-58.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent hand=Recipient |
| 2 | **is a** | past | Forcing | a good idea |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **help** | past | a good idea |  |  |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Left-handers write just as well; forcing the right hand caused harm

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:5-handwriting-holding-the-pencil-and-joining-up:t1:o4:1
# text = Left-handers write just as well; forcing the right hand caused harm
1	Left	left	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	1	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	handers	hander	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	write	write	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	just	just	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	as	as	ADV	RB	ExtPos=ADV	4	advmod	_	_
7	well	well	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	6	fixed	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	4	punct	_	_
9	forcing	force	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	4	advcl	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	right	right	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	hand	hand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
13	caused	cause	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	14	amod	_	_
14	harm	harm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write** | present | Left handers |  |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **force** | gerund | Left handers *not said here* | the right hand and caused harm |  |  |  |  | vn urge-58.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent hand=Recipient |
| 3 | **cause** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn result-27.2 «NP V PP»: agent=Precondition |

<!-- 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: [Vowel teams, split digraphs and choosi…, exam 4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/english/4-vowel-teams-split-digraphs-and-choosing-the-spelling/e4/)
- next →: [Handwriting: holding the pencil and jo…, test 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/english/5-handwriting-holding-the-pencil-and-joining-up/t2/)
- ↑ back to [Handwriting: holding the pencil and joining up](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/english/5-handwriting-holding-the-pencil-and-joining-up/)