---
title: did u hear the Smiths' dog bit a kid even tho it was wagging its tai… — Reading a dog's body language · tree and pragmatics
description: did u hear the Smiths' dog bit a kid even tho it was wagging its tail the whole time, mental Test 17 of lesson 21 «Reading a dog's body language» 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.
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/everyday/21-reading-a-dog/t17/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [questions](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/) / [Everyday](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/everyday/) / [Reading a dog's body language](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/everyday/21-reading-a-dog/) / t17

# Test 17 · Reading a dog's body language

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
did u hear the Smiths' dog bit a kid even tho it was wagging its tail the whole time, mental

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 4 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** u, dog · **What happens:** hear, bite, wag · **To what, where:** kid, tail

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 17 of lesson 21 «Reading a dog's body language» 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/21-reading-a-dog/#t17).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:21-reading-a-dog:t17:1
# text = did u hear the Smiths' dog bit a kid even tho it was wagging its tail the whole time, mental
1	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
2	u	you	PRON	PRP	Abbr=Yes|Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	hear	hear	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	Smiths	smith	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	'	's	PART	POS	_	5	case	_	_
7	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
8	bit	bite	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	parataxis	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	kid	kid	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
11	even	even	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
12	tho	though	SCONJ	IN	_	15	mark	_	_
13	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	nsubj	_	_
14	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	15	aux	_	_
15	wagging	wag	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	8	advcl	_	_
16	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	17	nmod:poss	_	_
17	tail	tail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obj	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
19	whole	whole	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	20	amod	_	_
20	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	22	punct	_	_
22	mental	mental	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	parataxis	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hear** | past · do-support | u |  |  |  |  |  | vn see-30.1-1-1 «NP V PP.stimulus»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **bite** | past | the Smiths's dog | a kid |  |  |  |  | vn swat-18.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent kid=Patient |
| 3 | **wag** | past · progressive | dog | dog's tail |  |  | time |  | vn crane-40.3.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent tail=Patient |

<!-- .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 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It means only the dog's face shows its feelings

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:21-reading-a-dog:t17:o1:1
# text = It means only the dog's face shows its feelings
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	only	only	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	's	's	PART	POS	_	5	case	_	_
7	face	face	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
8	shows	show	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	ccomp	_	_
9	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
10	feelings	feeling	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .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 | **show** | present | the dog's face | face's feelings |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent feeling=Recipient |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Real lesson: dogs that wag never bite, so the story is false

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:21-reading-a-dog:t17:o2:1
# text = Real lesson: dogs that wag never bite, so the story is false
1	Real	real	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	lesson	lesson	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	4	punct	_	_
4	dogs	dog	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	conj	_	_
5	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	6	nsubj	_	_
6	wag	wag	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	acl:relcl	_	_
7	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	8	advmod	_	_
8	bite	bite	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
10	so	so	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nsubj	_	_
13	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	cop	_	_
14	false	false	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wag** | present | dogs |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **bite** | infinitive | dogs *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn swat-18.2 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **is** | present | the story |  |  |  |  | false *property* | tree rules |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Real lesson: a stiff, high wagging tail can mean tension, so read the whole body

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:21-reading-a-dog:t17:o3:1
# text = Real lesson: a stiff, high wagging tail can mean tension, so read the whole body
1	Real	real	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	lesson	lesson	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	2	punct	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
5	stiff	stiff	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
7	high	high	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
8	wagging	wag	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	9	amod	_	_
9	tail	tail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
10	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
11	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
12	tension	tension	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
14	so	so	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
15	read	read	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	conj	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
17	whole	whole	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
18	body	body	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wag** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn crane-40.3.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **mean** | can | Real lesson | tension |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent tension=Topic |
| 3 | **read** | infinitive | Real lesson *not said here* | the whole body |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent body=Topic |

### Option 4 · ← Mova's choice {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It proves every dog with a tail bites

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:21-reading-a-dog:t17:o4:1
# text = It proves every dog with a tail bites
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	proves	prove	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	4	det	_	_
4	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	with	with	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	tail	tail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
8	bites	bite	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **prove** | present | It | every dog |  |  |  |  | vn deduce-97.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent dog=Theme |
| 2 | **bite** | present | a tail |  |  |  |  |  | vn swat-18.2 «NP V PP»: 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 -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [Reading a dog's body language, test 16](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/everyday/21-reading-a-dog/t16/)
- next →: [Reading a dog's body language, test 18](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/everyday/21-reading-a-dog/t18/)
- ↑ back to [Reading a dog's body language](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/everyday/21-reading-a-dog/)