---
title: Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the… — Endings that sound like «shun»: -tion,… · tree and pragmatics
description: Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the ending -cian? Exam question 2 of lesson 8 «Endings that sound like «shun»: -tion, -sion, -ssion, -cian» of the English course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option; Mova
---

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# Exam question 2 · Endings that sound like «shun»: -tion, -sion, -ssion, -cian

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the ending -cian?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **What happens:** follow, characteris · **To what, where:** ending cian

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 2 of lesson 8 «Endings that sound like «shun»: -tion, -sion, -ssion, -cian» 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/8-endings-that-sound-like-shun/#e2).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:8-endings-that-sound-like-shun:e2:1
# text = Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the ending -cian?
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	12	det	_	_
10	ending	ending	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	compound	_	_
11	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	cian	cian	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	?	?	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 ending cian |  |  |  | of the following statements; accurately *property* | 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.

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It denotes a person's occupation and is formed from a root terminating in c

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:8-endings-that-sound-like-shun:e2:o1:1
# text = It denotes a person's occupation and is formed from a root terminating in c
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	denotes	denote	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	's	's	PART	POS	_	4	case	_	_
6	occupation	occupation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux:pass	_	_
9	formed	form	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	conj	_	_
10	from	from	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	root	root	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
13	terminating	terminate	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	12	acl	_	_
14	in	in	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	c	c	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **denote** | present | It | a person's occupation |  |  |  |  | vn indicate-78 «NP V NP»: agent=Pivot occupation=Topic |
| 2 | **form** | present · passive |  |  |  | a root |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V» |
| 3 | **terminate** | gerund | a root *not said here* |  |  | c |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |
| 4 | **occupy** |  | a person |  |  |  |  |  | nom occupation «act transitive»: poss=agent |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It denotes an action or a process and is invariably formed from a root terminating in the letter t

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:8-endings-that-sound-like-shun:e2:o2:1
# text = It denotes an action or a process and is invariably formed from a root terminating in the letter t
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	denotes	denote	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	action	action	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	process	process	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux:pass	_	_
10	invariably	invariably	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
11	formed	form	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	conj	_	_
12	from	from	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	root	root	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	_
15	terminating	terminate	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	14	acl	_	_
16	in	in	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
18	letter	letter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	compound	_	_
19	t	t	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **denote** | present | It | a action or a process |  |  |  |  | vn indicate-78 «NP V NP»: agent=Pivot action=Topic |
| 2 | **form** | present · passive |  |  |  | a root |  | invariably *property* | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V» |
| 3 | **terminate** | gerund | a root *not said here* |  |  | the letter t |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is an obsolete spelling no longer in use

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:8-endings-that-sound-like-shun:e2:o3:1
# text = It is an obsolete spelling no longer in use
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	obsolete	obsolete	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	spelling	spelling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	no	no	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	longer	long	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	5	advmod	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	use	use	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | It | a obsolete spelling |  | use |  | long *property* | tree rules |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is employed in all words of more than three syllables

```conllu
# sent_id = question:english:8-endings-that-sound-like-shun:e2:o4:1
# text = It is employed in all words of more than three syllables
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	employed	employ	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	6	det	_	_
6	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
8	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp|ExtPos=ADV	10	advmod	_	_
9	than	than	ADP	IN	_	8	fixed	_	_
10	three	three	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	11	nummod	_	_
11	syllables	syllable	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **employ** | present · passive |  | It |  | all words of three syllables |  |  | vn hire-13.5.3 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |
| 2 | **word** |  |  | three syllables |  |  |  |  | nom word «communication transitive»: of=patient |

<!-- 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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- ← previous: [Endings that sound like «shun»: -tion,…, exam 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/english/8-endings-that-sound-like-shun/e1/)
- next →: [Endings that sound like «shun»: -tion,…, exam 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/english/8-endings-that-sound-like-shun/e3/)
- ↑ back to [Endings that sound like «shun»: -tion, -sion, -ssion, -cian](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/english/8-endings-that-sound-like-shun/)