---
title: Two brothers in Cork each say the other started the argument. What i… — Telling when someone may be lying · tree and pragmatics
description: Two brothers in Cork each say the other started the argument. What is most likely? Test 5 · ★★ of lesson 198 «Telling when someone may be lying» 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 was wrong.
---

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# Test 5 · ★★ · Telling when someone may be lying

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Two brothers in Cork each say the other started the argument. What is most likely?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 2 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** Two brothers, other · **What happens:** say, start, be · **To what, where:** argument · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 5 · ★★ of lesson 198 «Telling when someone may be lying» 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/198-telling-when-someone-may-be-lying/#t5).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Two brothers in Cork each say the other started the argument.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:198-telling-when-someone-may-be-lying:t5:1
# text = Two brothers in Cork each say the other started the argument.
1	Two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	2	nummod	_	_
2	brothers	brother	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	Cork	Cork	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
5	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	6	advmod	_	_
6	say	say	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	nsubj	_	_
9	started	start	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	ccomp	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	argument	argument	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | Two brothers in Cork |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **start** | past | the other | the argument |  |  |  |  | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent argument=Eventuality |

<!-- .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:* What is most likely?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:198-telling-when-someone-may-be-lying:t5:2
# text = What is most likely?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	most	most	ADV	RBS	Degree=Sup	4	advmod	_	_
4	likely	likely	ADV	RB	_	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

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

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
One of them is a terrible liar

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:198-telling-when-someone-may-be-lying:t5:o1:1
# text = One of them is a terrible liar
1	One	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	7	nsubj	_	_
2	of	of	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	1	nmod	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	terrible	terrible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	liar	liar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | One of them | a terrible liar |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

### Option 2 · ✓ the right answer {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Each remembers it in his own favour without meaning to lie

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:198-telling-when-someone-may-be-lying:t5:o2:1
# text = Each remembers it in his own favour without meaning to lie
1	Each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	2	nsubj	_	_
2	remembers	remember	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	obj	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
6	own	own	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	favour	favour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
8	without	without	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
9	meaning	mean	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	lie	lie	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **remember** | present | Each | it |  | his own favour |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent it=Theme |
| 2 | **mean** | gerund | Each *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **lie** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | Each *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **favour** |  | his *= he* |  |  |  |  |  | nom favour «feeling transitive»: poss=agent |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Nobody started it, so it did not happen

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:198-telling-when-someone-may-be-lying:t5:o3:1
# text = Nobody started it, so it did not happen
1	Nobody	nobody	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	2	nsubj	_	_
2	started	start	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
5	so	so	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
6	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
7	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
8	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	9	advmod	_	_
9	happen	happen	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **start** | past | Nobody | it |  |  |  |  | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Eventuality |
| 2 | **not** **happen** | past · do-support | it |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Both are lying on purpose to trick you into taking their side

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:198-telling-when-someone-may-be-lying:t5:o4:1
# text = Both are lying on purpose to trick you into taking their side
1	Both	both	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	3	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	lying	lie	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	purpose	purpose	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	trick	trick	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
8	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
9	into	into	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
10	taking	take	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	7	advcl	_	_
11	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	12	nmod:poss	_	_
12	side	side	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lie** | present · progressive | Both |  |  | purpose |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent on purpose=Location |
| 2 | **trick** | to-infinitive | Both *not said here* | you |  |  |  |  | vn trick-59.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent you=Patient |
| 3 | **take** | gerund | Both *not said here* | their side |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent side=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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