---
title: Which of the following statements most accurately characterises teas… — Nice alone, mean in a group · tree and pragmatics
description: Which of the following statements most accurately characterises teasing that is described by its author as «banter»? Exam question 2 of lesson 468 «Nice alone, mean in a group» of the everyday course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option
---

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# Exam question 2 · Nice alone, mean in a group

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Which of the following statements most accurately characterises teasing that is described by its author as «banter»?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 2 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** following statements, author · **What happens:** follow, characteris, describe · **To what, where:** teasing

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 2 of lesson 468 «Nice alone, mean in a group» 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/468-nice-alone-mean-in-a-group/#e2).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:468-nice-alone-mean-in-a-group:e2:1
# text = Which of the following statements most accurately characterises teasing that is described by its author as «banter»?
1	Which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	5	nsubj	_	_
2	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	following	follow	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	amod	_	_
5	statements	statement	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
6	most	most	ADV	RBS	Degree=Sup	7	advmod	_	_
7	accurately	accurately	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	characterises	characteris	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
9	teasing	teasing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
10	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	12	nsubj:pass	_	_
11	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	aux:pass	_	_
12	described	describe	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	9	acl:relcl	_	_
13	by	by	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	15	nmod:poss	_	_
15	author	author	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	_
16	as	as	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	banter	banter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **follow** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **characteris** | present | the following statements *not said here* | teasing |  |  |  | accurately *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **describe** | present · passive | teasing's author as banter | teasing |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent subject=Theme |

<!-- .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 is banter whenever its author so declares, irrespective of the subject's feelings

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:468-nice-alone-mean-in-a-group:e2:o1:1
# text = It is banter whenever its author so declares, irrespective of the subject's feelings
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|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	banter	banter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	whenever	whenever	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	8	advmod	_	_
5	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	author	author	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
7	so	so	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	declares	declare	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
10	irrespective	irrespective	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
11	of	of	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	subject	subject	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	's	's	PART	POS	_	13	case	_	_
15	feelings	feeling	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | It | banter |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **declare** *speech: other* | present | banter's author | the subject's feelings |  |  |  | whenever *property* | vn declare-29.4-1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent feeling=Attribute |

### Option 2 · ← Mova's choice {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is banter provided it occurs on school premises

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:468-nice-alone-mean-in-a-group:e2:o2:1
# text = It is banter provided it occurs on school premises
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|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	banter	banter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	provided	provide	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	occurs	occur	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	ccomp	_	_
7	on	on	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	premises	premise	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | It | banter |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **provide** | past | banter |  |  |  |  |  | vn ensure-99 «NP V that S»: agent=Precondition clause=Theme |
| 3 | **occur** | present | banter |  |  | school premises |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Theme on premise=Location |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is banter whenever older pupils are present

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:468-nice-alone-mean-in-a-group:e2:o3:1
# text = It is banter whenever older pupils are present
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|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	banter	banter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	whenever	whenever	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	8	advmod	_	_
5	older	old	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	6	amod	_	_
6	pupils	pupil	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
7	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
8	present	present	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	acl:relcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | It | banter |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present | older pupils |  |  |  |  | present, whenever *property* | tree rules |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is banter only if all parties, including its subject, find it amusing

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:468-nice-alone-mean-in-a-group:e2:o4:1
# text = It is banter only if all parties, including its subject, find it amusing
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|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	banter	banter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	only	only	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
5	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
6	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	7	det	_	_
7	parties	party	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
9	including	including	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	11	nmod:poss	_	_
11	subject	subject	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
13	find	find	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	conj	_	_
14	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	obj	_	_
15	amusing	amusing	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | It | banter and its subject |  |  |  | all parties *nmod* | tree rules |
| 2 | **find** | infinitive |  | subject |  |  |  | amusing *property* | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Topic |

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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: [Nice alone, mean in a group, exam 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/everyday/468-nice-alone-mean-in-a-group/e1/)
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