---
title: Mrs Reid, cool: «So you're the boy.» What is the best way to begin p… — Breaking things and hiding the pieces · tree and pragmatics
description: Mrs Reid, cool: «So you're the boy.» What is the best way to begin putting it right? Test 9 · ★★★ of lesson 342 «Breaking things and hiding the pieces» 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 9 · ★★★ · Breaking things and hiding the pieces

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mrs Reid, cool: «So you're the boy.» What is the best way to begin putting it right?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 2 · **The right answer:** option 2 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** you, best way · **What happens:** be, begin, put · **To what, where:** boy, way

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 9 · ★★★ of lesson 342 «Breaking things and hiding the pieces» 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/342-breaking-things-and-hiding-the-pieces/#t9).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Mrs Reid, cool: «So you're the boy.»

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:342-breaking-things-and-hiding-the-pieces:t9:1
# text = Mrs Reid, cool: «So you're the boy.»
1	Mrs	Mrs	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	Reid	Reid	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	1	flat	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
4	cool	cool	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	4	punct	_	_
6	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	So	so	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
8	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	're	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	boy	boy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** *in a quote* | present | you | the boy |  |  |  |  | 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:* What is the best way to begin putting it right?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:342-breaking-things-and-hiding-the-pieces:t9:2
# text = What is the best way to begin putting it right?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	0	root	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	best	good	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	5	amod	_	_
5	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nsubj	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	begin	begin	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	acl	_	_
8	putting	put	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	7	xcomp	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	_
10	right	right	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the best way |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **begin** | to-infinitive | the best way *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 3 | **put** | gerund | the best way *not said here* | way |  |  |  | right *property* | vn invest-13.5.4-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent it=Goal |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Say it was only a joke

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:342-breaking-things-and-hiding-the-pieces:t9:o1:1
# text = Say it was only a joke
1	Say	say	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	only	only	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	joke	joke	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	ccomp	_	_
```

<!-- .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** | past | it | a joke |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

### Option 2 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Say sorry and offer to paint the porch and walk the dog

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:342-breaking-things-and-hiding-the-pieces:t9:o2:1
# text = Say sorry and offer to paint the porch and walk the dog
1	Say	say	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	sorry	sorry	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	xcomp	_	_
3	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	offer	offer	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	1	conj	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	paint	paint	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	porch	porch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	walk	walk	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	1	conj	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: apologize* | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | sorry *property* | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **offer** | infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **paint** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | you *not said here* | the porch |  |  |  |  | vn image\_impression-25.1 «NP V NP.destination»: agent=Agent porch=Destination |
| 4 | **walk** | infinitive | you *not said here* | the dog |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent dog=Agent |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Run away again

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:342-breaking-things-and-hiding-the-pieces:t9:o3:1
# text = Run away again
1	Run	run	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	away	away	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	_
3	again	again	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **run away** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  | again | away *property* | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Say the older boys made him do it and he didn't want to

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:342-breaking-things-and-hiding-the-pieces:t9:o4:1
# text = Say the older boys made him do it and he didn't want to
1	Say	say	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	older	old	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	4	amod	_	_
4	boys	boy	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
5	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	1	ccomp	_	_
6	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	obj	_	_
7	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	xcomp	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
10	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
11	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	13	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	13	advmod	_	_
13	want	want	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	conj	_	_
14	to	to	PART	TO	_	13	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .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 clause=Topic |
| 2 | **make** | past | the older boys | him *= he* |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **do** | infinitive | him *= he* *not said here* | it |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Eventuality |
| 4 | **not** **want** | past · do-support | he |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot |

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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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- ← previous: [Breaking things and hiding the pieces, test 8](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/everyday/342-breaking-things-and-hiding-the-pieces/t8/)
- next →: [Breaking things and hiding the pieces, test 10](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/everyday/342-breaking-things-and-hiding-the-pieces/t10/)
- ↑ back to [Breaking things and hiding the pieces](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/everyday/342-breaking-things-and-hiding-the-pieces/)