---
title: my mate asked "is it true ur big sister's got a boyfriend??" and she… — White lies and kind silence · tree and pragmatics
description: my mate asked "is it true ur big sister's got a boyfriend??" and she made me promise not to tell. what's kind and honest? Test 20 · ★ of lesson 196 «White lies and kind silence» of the everyday course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each optio
---

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# Test 20 · ★ · White lies and kind silence

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
my mate asked "is it true ur big sister's got a boyfriend??" and she made me promise not to tell. what's kind and honest?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** mate, big sister, sister, me · **What happens:** ask, be, get, make, promise, not tell · **To what, where:** mate, boyfriend, me · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 20 · ★ of lesson 196 «White lies and kind silence» of the everyday 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/everyday/196-white-lies-and-kind-silence/#t20).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:196-white-lies-and-kind-silence:t20:1
# text = my mate asked "is it true ur big sister's got a boyfriend??" and she made me promise not to tell. what's kind and honest?
1	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	mate	mate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	asked	ask	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
8	ur	your	PRON	PRP$	Abbr=Yes|Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
9	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	sister	sister	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	aux	_	_
12	got	get	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	7	parataxis	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	boyfriend	boyfriend	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	??	??	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	7	punct	_	_
17	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
18	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	19	nsubj	_	_
19	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	_
20	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	19	obj	_	_
21	promise	promise	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	19	xcomp	_	_
22	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	24	advmod	_	_
23	to	to	PART	TO	_	24	mark	_	_
24	tell	tell	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	21	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	24	punct	_	_
26	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	28	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	28	cop	_	_
28	kind	kind	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	24	ccomp	_	_
29	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	30	cc	_	_
30	honest	honest	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	28	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
31	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ask** *speech: ask* | participle |  | my mate *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** *in a quote* | present | my mate |  |  |  |  | true *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **get** *in a quote* | present · passive | ur's big sister | a boyfriend |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer boyfriend=Stimulus |
| 4 | **make** | past | sister | me |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 5 | **promise** *speech: promise* | infinitive | me *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn promise-37.13 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 6 | **not** **tell** *speech: assert* *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 7 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | kind *property* | tree rules |
| 8 | **be** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 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 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Say she's horrible and nobody would date her

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:196-white-lies-and-kind-silence:t20:o1:1
# text = Say she's horrible and nobody would date her
1	Say	say	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	horrible	horrible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	ccomp	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
6	nobody	nobody	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	8	compound	_	_
7	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
8	date	date	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	_
9	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	goeswith	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | present | she |  |  |  |  | horrible *property* | tree rules |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Make up a fake name so nobody guesses

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:196-white-lies-and-kind-silence:t20:o2:1
# text = Make up a fake name so nobody guesses
1	Make	make	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	up	up	ADP	RP	_	1	compound:prt	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	fake	fake	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	name	name	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
6	so	so	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
7	nobody	nobody	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	8	nsubj	_	_
8	guesses	guess	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	advcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make up** | imperative | you *not said here* | a fake name |  |  |  |  | vn comprise-107.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme name=Pivot |
| 2 | **guess** | present | nobody |  |  |  |  |  | vn conjecture-29.5-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Tell the whole class so the secret's out and it's all done with

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:196-white-lies-and-kind-silence:t20:o3:1
# text = Tell the whole class so the secret's out and it's all done with
1	Tell	tell	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	whole	whole	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	class	class	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
5	so	so	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	secret	secret	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
9	out	out	ADV	RB	_	1	advcl	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
11	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj:pass	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	aux	_	_
13	all	all	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	_
14	done	do	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	1	conj	_	_
15	with	with	ADP	IN	_	14	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | imperative | you *not said here* | the whole class |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent class=Recipient |
| 2 | **is** | present | the secret |  |  |  |  | out *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **do** | present · passive |  | secret |  |  |  | all *property* | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Eventuality |

### Option 4 · ✓ the right answer {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Say «that's her business, ask her» without lying or telling

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:196-white-lies-and-kind-silence:t20:o4:1
# text = Say «that's her business, ask her» without lying or telling
1	Say	say	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	that	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	6	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	business	business	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
8	ask	ask	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	1	conj	_	_
9	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	iobj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	8	punct	_	_
11	without	without	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
12	lying	lie	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	8	advcl	_	_
13	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	telling	tell	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	12	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is a** *in a quote* | present | that | her business |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **ask** *speech: ask* *in a quote* | infinitive | you *not said here* |  | her *= she* |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent she=Recipient |
| 4 | **lie** | gerund | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 5 | **tell** *speech: assert* | gerund | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

<!-- 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: [White lies and kind silence, test 19](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/everyday/196-white-lies-and-kind-silence/t19/)
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