---
title: Given that a pupil withholds from his parent a letter concerning a s… — Money is tight: free school meals and… · tree and pragmatics
description: Given that a pupil withholds from his parent a letter concerning a school excursion on the grounds of cost, identify the principal error. Exam question 2 of lesson 487 «Money is tight: free school meals and second-hand uniform» of the everyday course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tre
---

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# Exam question 2 · Money is tight: free school meals and second-hand uniform

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Given that a pupil withholds from his parent a letter concerning a school excursion on the grounds of cost, identify the principal error.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 3 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** pupil, letter, you · **What happens:** give, withhold, concern, identify · **To what, where:** school excursion, grounds, principal error

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This is exam question 2 of lesson 487 «Money is tight: free school meals and second-hand uniform» 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/487-money-is-tight-free-meals-and-second-hand-uniform/#e2).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:487-money-is-tight-free-meals-and-second-hand-uniform:e2:1
# text = Given that a pupil withholds from his parent a letter concerning a school excursion on the grounds of cost, identify the principal error.
1	Given	give	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	mark	_	_
2	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	pupil	pupil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	withholds	withhold	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	21	advcl	_	_
6	from	from	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	parent	parent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	letter	letter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	conj	_	_
11	concerning	concern	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	10	acl	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	compound	_	_
14	excursion	excursion	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	_
15	on	on	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	grounds	grounds	NOUN	NNS	Number=Ptan	14	nmod	_	_
18	of	of	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
19	cost	cost	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
21	identify	identify	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
22	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	24	det	_	_
23	principal	principal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	24	amod	_	_
24	error	error	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	21	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn break\_down-45.8 «NP V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **withhold** | present | a pupil |  |  |  |  | from pupil's parent and a letter | tree rules |
| 3 | **concern** | gerund | a letter *not said here* | a school excursion |  | the grounds of cost |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus excursion=Experiencer |
| 4 | **identify** | imperative | you *not said here* | the principal error |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent error=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 -->
He neglected to pay the sum from his savings

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:487-money-is-tight-free-meals-and-second-hand-uniform:e2:o1:1
# text = He neglected to pay the sum from his savings
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	neglected	neglect	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	pay	pay	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	sum	sum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	from	from	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	savings	savings	NOUN	NNS	Number=Ptan	4	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **neglect** | past | He |  |  |  |  |  | vn neglect-75.1-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 2 | **not** **pay** | to-infinitive | He *not said here* | the sum |  | his savings |  |  | vn pay-68-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sum=Asset |
| 3 | **save** |  | his *= he* |  |  |  |  |  | nom savings «possession transitive»: poss=agent |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He should have destroyed the letter at once

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:487-money-is-tight-free-meals-and-second-hand-uniform:e2:o2:1
# text = He should have destroyed the letter at once
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	should	should	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	have	have	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	aux	_	_
4	destroyed	destroy	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	letter	letter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	at	at	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	once	once	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Mult	4	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **destroy** | should · perfect | He | the letter |  |  |  |  | vn destroy-44 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent letter=Patient |

### Option 3 · ← Mova's choice {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He failed to forge the parent's signature

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:487-money-is-tight-free-meals-and-second-hand-uniform:e2:o3:1
# text = He failed to forge the parent's signature
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	failed	fail	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	forge	forge	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	parent	parent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	's	's	PART	POS	_	6	case	_	_
8	signature	signature	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fail** | past | He |  |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **not** **forge** | to-infinitive | He *not said here* | the parent's signature |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent signature=Product |
| 3 | **sign** |  | the parent |  |  |  |  |  | nom signature «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He denied the parent the chance to request help

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:487-money-is-tight-free-meals-and-second-hand-uniform:e2:o4:1
# text = He denied the parent the chance to request help
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	denied	deny	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	parent	parent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	chance	chance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	request	request	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	acl	_	_
9	help	help	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **deny** | past | He | the parent |  |  |  |  | vn conjecture-29.5 «NP V NP to be NP»: agent=Agent parent=Theme chance=Eventuality |
| 2 | **request** | to-infinitive | He *not said here* | help |  |  |  |  | vn beg-58.2 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent help=Recipient |

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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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