---
title: It is given that a person has falsely blamed another for a wrong. As… — Lies that do real harm · tree and pragmatics
description: It is given that a person has falsely blamed another for a wrong. Ascertain the means of putting it right. Exam question 3 of lesson 197 «Lies that do real harm» of the everyday course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option; Mova's choice
---

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# Exam question 3 · Lies that do real harm

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is given that a person has falsely blamed another for a wrong. Ascertain the means of putting it right.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 2 · **The right answer:** option 1 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** you, the · **What happens:** give, blame, ascertain, mean, put · **To what, where:** It, person · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 3 of lesson 197 «Lies that do real harm» of the everyday 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/everyday/197-harmful-lies/#e3).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* It is given that a person has falsely blamed another for a wrong.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:197-harmful-lies:e3:1
# text = It is given that a person has falsely blamed another for a wrong.
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	_	9	mark	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj:pass	_	_
7	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
8	falsely	falsely	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	blamed	blame	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	advcl	_	_
10	another	another	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	9	obj	_	_
11	for	for	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	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 | **blame** | present · perfect · passive |  | a person |  |  |  | for a wrong; falsely *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.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* Ascertain the means of putting it right.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:197-harmful-lies:e3:2
# text = Ascertain the means of putting it right.
1	Ascertain	ascertain	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	nsubj	_	_
3	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	ccomp	_	_
4	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
5	putting	put	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	3	ccomp	_	_
6	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	obj	_	_
7	right	right	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ascertain** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **mean** | present | the |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **put** | gerund |  | person |  |  |  | right *property* | vn invest-13.5.4-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent it=Goal |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Tell the truth quickly, before the harm grows

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:197-harmful-lies:e3:o1:1
# text = Tell the truth quickly, before the harm grows
1	Tell	tell	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	truth	truth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	quickly	quickly	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
6	before	before	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	harm	harm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
9	grows	grow	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 | **tell** *speech: assert* | imperative | you *not said here* | the truth |  |  |  | quickly *property* | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent truth=Recipient |
| 2 | **grow** | present | the harm |  |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

### Option 2 · ← Mova's choice {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Say nothing, since the lie is already told

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:197-harmful-lies:e3:o2:1
# text = Say nothing, since the lie is already told
1	Say	say	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	nothing	nothing	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	1	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
4	since	since	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	lie	lie	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj:pass	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux:pass	_	_
8	already	already	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	told	tell	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	1	parataxis	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | imperative | you *not said here* | nothing |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent nothing=Topic |
| 2 | **tell** *speech: assert* | present · passive |  | the lie |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: subject=Recipient |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Wait until the other person forgets about it

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:197-harmful-lies:e3:o3:1
# text = Wait until the other person forgets about it
1	Wait	wait	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
2	until	until	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	forgets	forget	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	advcl	_	_
7	about	about	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wait** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **forget** | present | the other person |  |  |  |  | about it | tree rules |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Apologise privately but let the blame stand

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:197-harmful-lies:e3:o4:1
# text = Apologise privately but let the blame stand
1	Apologise	apologise	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	privately	privately	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	_
3	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	let	let	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	1	conj	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	blame	blame	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	stand	stand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **apologise** *speech: apologize* | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | privately *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **let** | infinitive | you *not said here* | the blame stand |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent stand=Theme |

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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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