---
title: Josh asks, "Why's my book a kayak?" His teacher says, "It's cah-YAY,… — In the classroom · tree and pragmatics
description: Josh asks, "Why's my book a kayak?" His teacher says, "It's cah-YAY, mate." What is wrong with "kayak"? Test 8 · ★ of lesson 20 «In the classroom» of the French 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 8 · ★ · In the classroom

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Josh asks, "Why's my book a kayak?" His teacher says, "It's cah-YAY, mate." What is wrong with "kayak"?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** Josh, book, teacher · **What happens:** ask, be, say · **To what, where:** kayak, cah YAY · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 8 · ★ of lesson 20 «In the classroom» of the French 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/french/20-in-the-classroom/#t8).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Josh asks, "Why's my book a kayak?"

```conllu
# sent_id = question:french:20-in-the-classroom:t8:1
# text = Josh asks, "Why's my book a kayak?"
1	Josh	Josh	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	asks	ask	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	Why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	10	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
7	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	book	book	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	kayak	kayak	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ask** *speech: ask* | present | Josh |  |  |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **is a** *in a quote* | present | my book | a kayak |  |  |  |  | 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:* His teacher says, "It's cah-YAY, mate."

```conllu
# sent_id = question:french:20-in-the-classroom:t8:2
# text = His teacher says, "It's cah-YAY, mate."
1	His	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
8	cah	cah	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	YAY	yay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
12	mate	mate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	vocative	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | Josh's teacher |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is a** *in a quote* | present | teacher | cah YAY |  |  |  | mate *vocative* | tree rules |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 3:* What is wrong with "kayak"?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:french:20-in-the-classroom:t8:3
# text = What is wrong with "kayak"?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	kayak	kayak	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | with kayak; wrong *property* | tree rules |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The h is silent and -ier says "yay"

```conllu
# sent_id = question:french:20-in-the-classroom:t8:o1:1
# text = The h is silent and -ier says "yay"
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	h	H	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	silent	silent	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
6	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	ier	i	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	8	ccomp	_	_
8	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
9	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	yay	yay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | the h |  |  |  |  | silent *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | the h *not said here* | yay |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent yay=Topic |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is said "ka-HEER", like hear

```conllu
# sent_id = question:french:20-in-the-classroom:t8:o2:1
# text = It is said "ka-HEER", like hear
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	aux:pass	_	_
3	said	say	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	ka	ka	X	FW	Foreign=Yes	7	dep	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	HEER	heer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
10	like	like	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	hear	hear	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present · passive |  | It |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: subject=Topic |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Nothing, cahier is said exactly like the boat called a kayak

```conllu
# sent_id = question:french:20-in-the-classroom:t8:o3:1
# text = Nothing, cahier is said exactly like the boat called a kayak
1	Nothing	nothing	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	3	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	cahier	cahier	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	said	say	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	exactly	exactly	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
7	like	like	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	boat	boat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
10	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	9	acl	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	kayak	kayak	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present · passive |  | Nothing cahier |  |  |  | like the boat; exactly *property* | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: subject=Topic |
| 2 | **call** | participle | the boat *not said here* | a kayak |  |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent kayak=Recipient |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The k is silent and -ier says "ak"

```conllu
# sent_id = question:french:20-in-the-classroom:t8:o4:1
# text = The k is silent and -ier says "ak"
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	k	k	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	silent	silent	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
6	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	ier	i	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	8	ccomp	_	_
8	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
9	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	ak	AK	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | the k |  |  |  |  | silent *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | the k *not said here* | ak |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent ak=Topic |

<!-- div src -->

**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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