---
title: Your mate says, "You're born a writer or you're not, end of." Put hi… — Putting it together: reading and writi… · tree and pragmatics
description: Your mate says, "You're born a writer or you're not, end of." Put him right. Test 1 · ★★ of lesson 54 «Putting it together: reading and writing like a writer» 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
---

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# Test 1 · ★★ · Putting it together: reading and writing like a writer

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Your mate says, "You're born a writer or you're not, end of." Put him right.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 2 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** mate, you · **What happens:** say, bear, not be, put · **To what, where:** You, mate · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 1 · ★★ of lesson 54 «Putting it together: reading and writing like a writer» 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/54-reading-and-writing-like-a-writer/#t1).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Your mate says, "You're born a writer or you're not, end of."

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:54-reading-and-writing-like-a-writer:t1:1
# text = Your mate says, "You're born a writer or you're not, end of."
1	Your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	mate	mate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
5	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	You	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj:pass	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	're	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux:pass	_	_
8	born	bear	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	ccomp	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	writer	writer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
11	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
12	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	16	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	're	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	16	cop	_	_
14	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	16	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
16	end	end	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	conj	_	_
17	of	of	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | Your mate |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **bear** *in a quote* | present · passive |  | You |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1-1 «NP V NP NP»: subject=Beneficiary writer=Patient |
| 3 | **not** **is** *in a quote* | present | you |  |  |  | of end |  | 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:* Put him right.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:54-reading-and-writing-like-a-writer:t1:2
# text = Put him right.
1	Put	put	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	1	obj	_	_
3	right	right	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **put** | imperative | you *not said here* |  | mate |  |  | right *property* | vn invest-13.5.4-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent he=Goal |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He is right: it is all fixed when you are born

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:54-reading-and-writing-like-a-writer:t1:o1:1
# text = He is right: it is all fixed when you are born
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|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	:	_	8	punct	_	_
5	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj:pass	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux:pass	_	_
7	all	all	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	fixed	fix	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	parataxis	_	_
9	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	12	advmod	_	_
10	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj:pass	_	_
11	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	aux:pass	_	_
12	born	bear	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	advcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | He |  |  |  |  | right *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **fix** | present · passive |  | it |  |  |  | all *property* | vn shake-22.3-2 «NP V NP together»: subject=Patient |
| 3 | **bear** | present · passive |  | you |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |

### Option 2 · ✓ the right answer {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Writing improves with practice, like any skill

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:54-reading-and-writing-like-a-writer:t1:o2:1
# text = Writing improves with practice, like any skill
1	Writing	writing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	improves	improve	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	with	with	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	practice	practice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
6	like	like	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	8	det	_	_
8	skill	skill	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **improve** | present | Writing |  |  |  |  | with practice | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP PP.instrument»: agent=Agent with practice=Instrument |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Only grown-ups can ever get better at writing

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:54-reading-and-writing-like-a-writer:t1:o3:1
# text = Only grown-ups can ever get better at writing
1	Only	only	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
2	grown	grow	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	ups	up	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
5	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
6	ever	ever	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	7	advmod	_	_
7	get	get	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
8	better	good	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	7	xcomp	_	_
9	at	at	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	writing	writing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **grow** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **get** | can | grown ups |  |  | writing | ever | good *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Reading and writing have nothing to do with it

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:54-reading-and-writing-like-a-writer:t1:o4:1
# text = Reading and writing have nothing to do with it
1	Reading	reading	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
3	writing	writing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	conj	_	_
4	have	have	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	nothing	nothing	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	4	obj	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	acl	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | Reading and writing | nothing |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent nothing=Patient |
| 2 | **do** | to-infinitive | Reading and writing *not said here* | nothing *not said here* |  |  |  | with writing | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

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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.

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