---
title: Identify the principal reason for which the attribution of a poor ma… — Putting the blame on someone else · tree and pragmatics
description: Identify the principal reason for which the attribution of a poor mark to the teacher is disadvantageous to the pupil. Exam question 2 of lesson 344 «Putting the blame on someone else» of the everyday course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of eac
---

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# Exam question 2 · Putting the blame on someone else

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Identify the principal reason for which the attribution of a poor mark to the teacher is disadvantageous to the pupil.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** you, attribution · **What happens:** identify, be, attribute · **To what, where:** principal reason, poor mark

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 2 of lesson 344 «Putting the blame on someone else» 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/344-putting-the-blame-on-someone-else/#e2).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:344-putting-the-blame-on-someone-else:e2:1
# text = Identify the principal reason for which the attribution of a poor mark to the teacher is disadvantageous to the pupil.
1	Identify	identify	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	principal	principal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	reason	reason	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	17	obl	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	attribution	attribution	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	nsubj	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	poor	poor	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	mark	mark	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	_
13	to	to	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nmod	_	_
16	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	17	cop	_	_
17	disadvantageous	disadvantageous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	acl	_	_
18	to	to	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
19	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
20	pupil	pupil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **identify** | imperative | you *not said here* | the principal reason |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent reason=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | present | the attribution of a poor mark to the teacher |  |  |  |  | for the principal reason; to the pupil; disadvantageous *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **attribute** |  |  | a poor mark to the teacher |  |  |  |  | nom attribution «cognition transitive»: of=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 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It has no effect upon the pupil

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:344-putting-the-blame-on-someone-else:e2:o1:1
# text = It has no effect upon the pupil
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	4	det	_	_
4	effect	effect	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	upon	upon	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	pupil	pupil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | It | no effect |  |  |  | upon the pupil | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent effect=Patient |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It improves the mark of the pupil, as the teacher then excuses the error

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:344-putting-the-blame-on-someone-else:e2:o2:1
# text = It improves the mark of the pupil, as the teacher then excuses the error
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	improves	improve	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	mark	mark	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	pupil	pupil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
9	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nsubj	_	_
12	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	13	advmod	_	_
13	excuses	excuse	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	error	error	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **improve** | present | It | the mark of the pupil |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent mark=Patient |
| 2 | **excuse** | present | the teacher | the error |  |  | then |  | vn judgment-33.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent error=Theme |
| 3 | **mark** |  |  | the pupil |  |  |  |  | nom mark «cognition transitive»: of=patient |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is required by the rules of the school

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:344-putting-the-blame-on-someone-else:e2:o3:1
# text = It is required by the rules of the school
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	required	require	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	by	by	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	rules	rule	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl:agent	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **require** | present · passive | the rules of the school | It |  |  |  |  | vn require-103-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme subject=Precondition |
| 2 | **rule** |  | the school |  |  |  |  |  | nom rule «cognition intransitive»: of=agent |

### Option 4 · ✓ the right answer {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It prevents the pupil from recognising what he must improve

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:344-putting-the-blame-on-someone-else:e2:o4:1
# text = It prevents the pupil from recognising what he must improve
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	prevents	prevent	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	pupil	pupil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	from	from	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
6	recognising	recognise	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
7	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	10	obj	_	_
8	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
9	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
10	improve	improve	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	ccomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **prevent** | present | It | the pupil |  |  |  |  | vn forbid-64.4-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Causer pupil=Theme |
| 2 | **recognise** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V how S\_INF»: agent=Experiencer clause=Stimulus |
| 3 | **improve** | must | pupil |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent what=Patient |

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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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