---
title: It is given that a young child says «runned». Which of the following… — Adding -ed and -ing: doubling and drop… · tree and pragmatics
description: It is given that a young child says «runned». Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the utterance? Exam question 4 of lesson 7 «Adding -ed and -ing: doubling and dropping e» of the English course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the quest
---

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# Exam question 4 · Adding -ed and -ing: doubling and dropping e

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is given that a young child says «runned». Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the utterance?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 4 · **The right answer:** option 4 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** young child · **What happens:** give, say, runn, follow, characteris · **To what, where:** It, utterance · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 4 of lesson 7 «Adding -ed and -ing: doubling and dropping e» of the English course of Mova's primary school, asked in stiff, formal language. 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/7-adding-ed-and-ing-doubling-and-dropping-e/#e4).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* It is given that a young child says «runned».

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:7-adding-ed-and-ing-doubling-and-dropping-e:e4:1
# text = It is given that a young child says «runned».
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	given	give	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	young	young	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	child	child	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
8	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
9	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	runned	runn	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | present · passive |  | It |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | a young child |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **runn** *in a quote* | past |  |  |  |  |  |  | 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:* Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the utterance?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:7-adding-ed-and-ing-doubling-and-dropping-e:e4:2
# text = Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the utterance?
1	Which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	8	nsubj	_	_
2	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	following	follow	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	amod	_	_
5	statements	statement	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obl	_	_
6	most	most	ADV	RBS	Degree=Sup	7	advmod	_	_
7	accurately	accurately	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	characterises	characteris	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	utterance	utterance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **follow** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **characteris** | present |  | the utterance |  |  |  | of the following statements; accurately *property* | tree rules |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The child is speaking a regional dialect of the United States

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:7-adding-ed-and-ing-doubling-and-dropping-e:e4:o1:1
# text = The child is speaking a regional dialect of the United States
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	child	child	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	speaking	speak	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	regional	regional	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	dialect	dialect	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	United	United	ADJ	NNP	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	States	State	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	7	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **speak** *speech: other* | present · progressive | the child | a regional dialect of the United States |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The child has failed to acquire any rule of the language

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:7-adding-ed-and-ing-doubling-and-dropping-e:e4:o2:1
# text = The child has failed to acquire any rule of the language
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	child	child	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	failed	fail	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	acquire	acquire	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	8	det	_	_
8	rule	rule	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	language	language	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fail** | present · perfect | the child |  |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **not** **acquire** | to-infinitive | the child *not said here* | any rule of the language |  |  |  |  | vn obtain-13.5.2-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset rule=Theme |
| 3 | **rule** |  | the language |  |  |  |  |  | nom rule «cognition intransitive»: of=agent |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The child is employing the correct form of the past tense

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:7-adding-ed-and-ing-doubling-and-dropping-e:e4:o3:1
# text = The child is employing the correct form of the past tense
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	child	child	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	employing	employ	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	correct	correct	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	form	form	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	past	past	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	tense	tense	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **employ** | present · progressive | the child | the correct form of the past tense |  |  |  |  | vn hire-13.5.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent form=Theme |
| 2 | **form** |  |  | the past tense |  |  |  |  | nom form «communication transitive»: of=patient |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The child has acquired the regular rule and is applying it to an irregular verb

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:7-adding-ed-and-ing-doubling-and-dropping-e:e4:o4:1
# text = The child has acquired the regular rule and is applying it to an irregular verb
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	child	child	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	acquired	acquire	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	regular	regular	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	rule	rule	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
10	applying	apply	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	conj	_	_
11	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	obj	_	_
12	to	to	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
13	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
14	irregular	irregular	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	verb	verb	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **acquire** | present · perfect · passive |  | the child |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **apply** | present · progressive |  | rule |  |  |  | to a irregular verb | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Theme |

<!-- 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 -->

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- next →: [Endings that sound like «shun»: -tion,…, test 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/english/8-endings-that-sound-like-shun/t1/)
- ↑ back to [Adding -ed and -ing: doubling and dropping e](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/english/7-adding-ed-and-ing-doubling-and-dropping-e/)