---
title: «no-one writes by hand any more, it's all phones». Why might joining… — Handwriting: holding the pencil and jo… · tree and pragmatics
description: «no-one writes by hand any more, it's all phones». Why might joining up still help? Test 8 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 choice was right.
---

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# Test 8 · Handwriting: holding the pencil and joining up

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«no-one writes by hand any more, it's all phones». Why might joining up still help?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 4 · **The right answer:** option 4 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** one, hand · **What happens:** write, be, join up, help · **To what, where:** phones

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

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* «no-one writes by hand any more, it's all phones».

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:5-handwriting-holding-the-pencil-and-joining-up:t8:1
# text = «no-one writes by hand any more, it's all phones».
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	4	det	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	5	nsubj	_	_
5	writes	write	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	by	by	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	hand	hand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
8	any	any	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	more	more	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
11	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	cop	_	_
13	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	14	det	_	_
14	phones	phone	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write** *in a quote* | present | no one |  |  |  |  | by hand | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is a** *in a quote* | present | hand | all phones |  |  |  |  | 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:* Why might joining up still help?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:5-handwriting-holding-the-pencil-and-joining-up:t8:2
# text = Why might joining up still help?
1	Why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	3	advmod	_	_
2	might	might	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	joining	join	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	up	up	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	_
5	still	still	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	help	help	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **join up** | might |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn mix-22.1-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **help** | infinitive |  |  |  |  | still |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Joining is only for tidiness and does nothing else

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:5-handwriting-holding-the-pencil-and-joining-up:t8:o1:1
# text = Joining is only for tidiness and does nothing else
1	Joining	joining	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	only	only	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
4	for	for	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	tidiness	tidiness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	does	do	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
8	nothing	nothing	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	7	obj	_	_
9	else	else	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Joining |  |  |  |  | for tidiness | tree rules |
| 2 | **do** | present | Joining *not said here* | nothing |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent nothing=Eventuality |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Phones will be banned soon, so handwriting is the only way

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:5-handwriting-holding-the-pencil-and-joining-up:t8:o2:1
# text = Phones will be banned soon, so handwriting is the only way
1	Phones	phone	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	banned	ban	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	soon	soon	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	4	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
7	so	so	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
8	handwriting	handwriting	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	only	only	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ban** | future · passive |  | Phones |  |  |  | soon *property* | vn forbid-64.4-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |
| 2 | **is a** | present | handwriting | the only way |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Joined letters are easier for computers and phones to read when they scan a page

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:5-handwriting-holding-the-pencil-and-joining-up:t8:o3:1
# text = Joined letters are easier for computers and phones to read when they scan a page
1	Joined	join	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	amod	_	_
2	letters	letter	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	easier	easy	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	0	root	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	computers	computer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	phones	phone	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	conj	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	read	read	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	advcl	_	_
11	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	13	advmod	_	_
12	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
13	scan	scan	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	advcl	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	page	page	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **join** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn mix-22.1-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **is** | present | Joined letters |  |  |  |  | for computers and phones; easy *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **read** | to-infinitive | Joined letters *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **scan** | present | letters *= letter* | a page |  |  |  |  | vn assessment-34.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent page=Theme |

### Option 4 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The hand learns letter groups, which helps spelling and speed

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:5-handwriting-holding-the-pencil-and-joining-up:t8:o4:1
# text = The hand learns letter groups, which helps spelling and speed
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	hand	hand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	learns	learn	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	letter	letter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	groups	group	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
7	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	8	nsubj	_	_
8	helps	help	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	parataxis	_	_
9	spelling	spelling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	speed	speed	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **learn** | present | the hand | letter groups |  |  |  |  | vn learn-14-2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent group=Topic |
| 2 | **help** | present |  | spelling and speed |  |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent spelling=Beneficiary |

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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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