---
title: my cousin picked up a lizard by its tail and it fell off, he says th… — Birds, reptiles and choosing a pet · tree and pragmatics
description: my cousin picked up a lizard by its tail and it fell off, he says that's normal so it's fine Test 18 · ★★ of lesson 64 «Birds, reptiles and choosing a pet» 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 r
---

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# Test 18 · ★★ · Birds, reptiles and choosing a pet

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
my cousin picked up a lizard by its tail and it fell off, he says that's normal so it's fine

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 4 · **The right answer:** option 4 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** cousin, he, that · **What happens:** pick up, fall off, say, be · **To what, where:** lizard · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 18 · ★★ of lesson 64 «Birds, reptiles and choosing a pet» 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/64-birds-reptiles-and-choosing-a-pet/#t18).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:64-birds-reptiles-and-choosing-a-pet:t18:1
# text = my cousin picked up a lizard by its tail and it fell off, he says that's normal so it's fine
1	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	cousin	cousin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	picked	pick	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	up	up	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	lizard	lizard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	by	by	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	tail	tail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
11	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
12	fell	fall	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
13	off	off	ADP	RP	_	12	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
15	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	nsubj	_	_
16	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
17	that	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	19	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	19	cop	_	_
19	normal	normal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	ccomp	_	_
20	so	so	ADV	RB	_	23	advmod	_	_
21	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	23	expl	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	23	cop	_	_
23	fine	fine	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	19	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pick up** | participle | my cousin | a lizard |  |  |  | by cousin's tail | vn discover-84-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent lizard=Topic |
| 2 | **fall off** | past | cousin |  |  |  |  |  | vn calibratable\_cos-45.6.1-1 «NP.attribute V»: agent=Attribute |
| 3 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | he |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **is** | present | that |  |  |  |  | normal *property* | tree rules |
| 5 | **is** | present | that *not said here* |  |  |  |  | fine *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 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He is right, tails grow back so it is fine, no harm done

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:64-birds-reptiles-and-choosing-a-pet:t18:o1:1
# text = He is right, tails grow back so it is fine, no harm done
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|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	,	_	6	punct	_	_
5	tails	tail	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
6	grow	grow	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	parataxis	_	_
7	back	back	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
8	so	so	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	expl	_	_
10	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
11	fine	fine	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
13	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	14	det	_	_
14	harm	harm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	parataxis	_	_
15	done	do	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	14	acl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | He |  |  |  |  | right *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **grow back** | present | tails |  |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **is** | present | tails *not said here* |  |  |  |  | fine *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **do** | participle |  | no harm *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He is right, lizards like it

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:64-birds-reptiles-and-choosing-a-pet:t18:o2:1
# text = He is right, lizards like it
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|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	lizards	lizard	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
6	like	like	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | He |  |  |  |  | lizards like it *obl*; right *property* | tree rules |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He is right, if you are gentle

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:64-birds-reptiles-and-choosing-a-pet:t18:o3:1
# text = He is right, if you are gentle
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|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	,	_	8	punct	_	_
5	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
6	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
7	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
8	gentle	gentle	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | He |  |  |  |  | right *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** *a condition, not said to happen* | present | you |  |  |  |  | gentle *property* | tree rules |

### Option 4 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is a defence, not fine; never hold a lizard by its tail

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:64-birds-reptiles-and-choosing-a-pet:t18:o4:1
# text = It is a defence, not fine; never hold a lizard by its tail
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	defence	defence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
6	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	7	advmod	_	_
7	fine	fine	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	10	punct	_	_
9	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	10	advmod	_	_
10	hold	hold	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	4	parataxis	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	lizard	lizard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	_
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	tail	tail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | It | a defence |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **hold** | infinitive |  | a lizard |  |  |  | by lizard's tail | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent lizard=Theme by tail=Location |

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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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- ← previous: [Birds, reptiles and choosing a pet, test 17](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/everyday/64-birds-reptiles-and-choosing-a-pet/t17/)
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