---
title: Ben's friend says "the late Mr Hill built this school". Ben says "so… — Soft words for hard things: death and… · tree and pragmatics
description: Ben's friend says "the late Mr Hill built this school". Ben says "so he's always late?" What should you tell Ben? Test 5 · ★ of lesson 1 «Soft words for hard things: death and dying» of the euphemisms course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of eac
---

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# Test 5 · ★ · Soft words for hard things: death and dying

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ben's friend says "the late Mr Hill built this school". Ben says "so he's always late?" What should you tell Ben?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** friend, late Mr Hill, Ben, you · **What happens:** say, build, be, tell · **To what, where:** school, Ben · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 5 · ★ of lesson 1 «Soft words for hard things: death and dying» of the euphemisms 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/euphemisms/1-death-polite-and-joking/#t5).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Ben's friend says "the late Mr Hill built this school".

```conllu
# sent_id = question:euphemisms:1-death-polite-and-joking:t5:1
# text = Ben's friend says "the late Mr Hill built this school".
1	Ben	Ben	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	's	PART	POS	_	1	case	_	_
3	friend	friend	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
7	late	late	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
8	Mr	Mr	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	Hill	Hill	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
10	built	build	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	ccomp	_	_
11	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	12	det	_	_
12	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | Ben's friend |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **build** *in a quote* | past | the late Mr Hill | this school |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent school=Product |

<!-- .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:* Ben says "so he's always late?"

```conllu
# sent_id = question:euphemisms:1-death-polite-and-joking:t5:2
# text = Ben says "so he's always late?"
1	Ben	Ben	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	so	so	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
5	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
7	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	8	advmod	_	_
8	late	late	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: ask* | present | Ben |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** *in a quote* | present | Ben |  |  |  |  | always, late *property* | tree rules |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 3:* What should you tell Ben?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:euphemisms:1-death-polite-and-joking:t5:3
# text = What should you tell Ben?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	4	obj	_	_
2	should	should	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	tell	tell	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	Ben	Ben	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	iobj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | should | you |  | Ben |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent ben=Recipient what=Topic |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Yes, he was never on time

```conllu
# sent_id = question:euphemisms:1-death-polite-and-joking:t5:o1:1
# text = Yes, he was never on time
1	Yes	yes	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Pos	7	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
5	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	7	advmod	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **is** | past | he |  |  |  | on time |  | tree rules |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
No, it means he built it late at night

```conllu
# sent_id = question:euphemisms:1-death-polite-and-joking:t5:o2:1
# text = No, it means he built it late at night
1	No	no	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Neg	4	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	built	build	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	ccomp	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	late	late	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	6	advmod	_	_
9	at	at	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	night	night	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | it |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **build** | past | he | it |  |  | night | late *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Product |

### Option 3 · ✓ the right answer {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
No, "the late" means Mr Hill has died

```conllu
# sent_id = question:euphemisms:1-death-polite-and-joking:t5:o3:1
# text = No, "the late" means Mr Hill has died
1	No	no	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Neg	5	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	late	late	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
7	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	Mr	Mr	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
9	Hill	Hill	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	flat	_	_
10	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
11	died	die	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	7	ccomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | the late |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **die** | present · perfect | Mr |  |  |  |  |  | vn calibratable\_cos-45.6.1 «NP.attribute V»: agent=Attribute |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Yes, the school was finished late

```conllu
# sent_id = question:euphemisms:1-death-polite-and-joking:t5:o4:1
# text = Yes, the school was finished late
1	Yes	yes	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Pos	6	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj:pass	_	_
5	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux:pass	_	_
6	finished	finish	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
7	late	late	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	6	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **finish** | past · passive |  | the school |  |  |  | late *property* | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V NP.eventuality»: subject=Eventuality |

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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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