---
title: Emily's nan says her cat purred while it was dying so cats purr when… — Understanding cats · tree and pragmatics
description: Emily's nan says her cat purred while it was dying so cats purr when they're sad, every time Test 17 of lesson 23 «Understanding cats» 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 right.
---

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# Test 17 · Understanding cats

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Emily's nan says her cat purred while it was dying so cats purr when they're sad, every time

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** nan, cat, cats, they · **What happens:** say, purr, die, be · **To what, where:** cat · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 17 of lesson 23 «Understanding cats» 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/23-understanding-cats/#t17).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:23-understanding-cats:t17:1
# text = Emily's nan says her cat purred while it was dying so cats purr when they're sad, every time
1	Emily	Emily	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	's	PART	POS	_	1	case	_	_
3	nan	nan	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	cat	cat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	purred	purr	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	acl	_	_
8	while	while	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
10	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
11	dying	die	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	7	advcl	_	_
12	so	so	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	_
13	cats	cat	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	nsubj	_	_
14	purr	purr	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	ccomp	_	_
15	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	18	mark	_	_
16	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	18	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	're	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	18	cop	_	_
18	sad	sad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
20	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	21	det	_	_
21	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	parataxis	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | Emily's nan | nan's cat |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **purr** | participle |  | nan's cat *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **die** | past · progressive | cat |  |  |  |  |  | vn calibratable\_cos-45.6.1 «NP.attribute V»: agent=Attribute |
| 4 | **purr** | present | cats |  |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 5 | **is** | present | they |  |  |  |  | sad *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.

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Not every time; cats usually purr when content but can also purr when hurt or stressed

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:23-understanding-cats:t17:o1:1
# text = Not every time; cats usually purr when content but can also purr when hurt or stressed
1	Not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
2	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	3	det	_	_
3	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	cats	cat	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
6	usually	usually	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	purr	purr	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	9	mark	_	_
9	content	content	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	advcl	_	_
10	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
11	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	13	aux	_	_
12	also	also	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
13	purr	purr	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	conj	_	_
14	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	15	advmod	_	_
15	hurt	hurt	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	13	advcl	_	_
16	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
17	stressed	stress	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	15	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **purr** | present | cats |  |  |  | time | usually *property* | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **purr** | can | cats *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **hurt** | participle | cats *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |
| 4 | **stress** | participle | cats *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn marvel-31.3 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She is right, purring always means sadness

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:23-understanding-cats:t17:o2:1
# text = She is right, purring always means sadness
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	right	right	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
5	purring	purr	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	advcl	_	_
6	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	7	advmod	_	_
7	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	ccomp	_	_
8	sadness	sadness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | She |  |  |  |  | right *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **purr** | gerund | She *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **mean** | present | She *not said here* | sadness |  |  |  | always *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sadness=Topic |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She is right, so purring cats must see a vet

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:23-understanding-cats:t17:o3:1
# text = She is right, so purring cats must see a vet
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	right	right	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
5	so	so	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
6	purring	purr	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	amod	_	_
7	cats	cat	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nsubj	_	_
8	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
9	see	see	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	parataxis	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	vet	vet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | She |  |  |  |  | right *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **purr** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **see** | must | purring cats | a vet |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer vet=Stimulus |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She is right, cats only purr before dying

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:23-understanding-cats:t17:o4:1
# text = She is right, cats only purr before dying
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	right	right	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
5	cats	cat	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
6	only	only	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	purr	purr	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
8	before	before	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
9	dying	die	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	7	advcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | She |  |  |  |  | right *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **purr** | present | cats |  |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **die** | gerund | cats *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn calibratable\_cos-45.6.1 «NP.attribute V»: agent=Attribute |

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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.

<!-- /div -->

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