---
title: «why didnt they just start the car with the key like normal» What is… — Toad's Edwardian England: early motor… · tree and pragmatics
description: «why didnt they just start the car with the key like normal» What is the best answer? Test 3 · ★★ of lesson 83 «Toad's Edwardian England: early motor cars, caravans, steam trains, wash day and gold sovereigns» of the history course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of
---

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# Test 3 · ★★ · Toad's Edwardian England: early motor cars, caravans, stea…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«why didnt they just start the car with the key like normal» What is the best answer?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 2 · **The right answer:** option 2 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** didnt, best answer · **What happens:** start, be · **To what, where:** car, key

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 3 · ★★ of lesson 83 «Toad's Edwardian England: early motor cars, caravans, steam trains, wash day and gold sovereigns» of the history 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/history/83-toad-s-edwardian-england-early-motor-cars-caravans-steam-trains-wash-day-and-gold-sovereigns/#t3).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:history:83-toad-s-edwardian-england-early-motor-cars-caravans-steam-trains-wash-day-and-gold-sovereigns:t3:1
# text = «why didnt they just start the car with the key like normal» What is the best answer?
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	6	advmod	_	_
3	didnt	didnt	X	FW	Foreign=Yes	6	nsubj	_	_
4	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
5	just	just	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	start	start	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	car	car	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	with	with	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	key	key	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
12	like	like	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	normal	normal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	13	punct	_	_
15	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	13	conj	_	_
16	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	15	cop	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
18	best	good	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	19	amod	_	_
19	answer	answer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **start** *in a quote* | present | didnt | the car |  |  |  | with the key like normal | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.subeventuality»: agent=Agent car=Eventuality with key=Subeventuality |
| 2 | **is a** | present | the best answer | the key like normal |  |  |  |  | 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 -->
Keys had not been invented yet, so nobody could lock anything at all

```conllu
# sent_id = question:history:83-toad-s-edwardian-england-early-motor-cars-caravans-steam-trains-wash-day-and-gold-sovereigns:t3:o1:1
# text = Keys had not been invented yet, so nobody could lock anything at all
1	Keys	key	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
3	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	5	advmod	_	_
4	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	invented	invent	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	yet	yet	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
8	so	so	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
9	nobody	nobody	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	11	nsubj	_	_
10	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
11	lock	lock	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	conj	_	_
12	anything	anything	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	11	obj	_	_
13	at	at	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	11	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **invent** | past · perfect · passive |  | Keys |  |  | yet |  | vn create-26.4-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Result |
| 2 | **lock** | could | nobody | anything |  | all |  |  | vn tape-22.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent anything=Patient |

### Option 2 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Many early cars had no electric starter, so you turned a handle at the front

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:history:83-toad-s-edwardian-england-early-motor-cars-caravans-steam-trains-wash-day-and-gold-sovereigns:t3:o2:1
# text = Many early cars had no electric starter, so you turned a handle at the front
1	Many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
2	early	early	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	cars	car	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	7	det	_	_
6	electric	electric	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	starter	starter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
9	so	so	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
10	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
11	turned	turn	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	handle	handle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	_
14	at	at	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	front	front	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | Many early cars | no electric starter |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent starter=Patient |
| 2 | **turn** | past | you | a handle |  | the front |  |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent handle=Theme |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Cars started by themselves when the warm sun shone on the engine

```conllu
# sent_id = question:history:83-toad-s-edwardian-england-early-motor-cars-caravans-steam-trains-wash-day-and-gold-sovereigns:t3:o3:1
# text = Cars started by themselves when the warm sun shone on the engine
1	Cars	car	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
2	started	start	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	1	acl	_	_
3	by	by	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	themselves	themselves	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	2	obl	_	_
5	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	9	advmod	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	warm	warm	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	sun	sun	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
9	shone	shine	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	advcl	_	_
10	on	on	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	engine	engine	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **start** | participle |  | Cars *not said here* |  |  |  | by Cars *= car* | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |
| 2 | **shine** | participle | the warm sun |  |  | the engine |  |  | vn light\_emission-43.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme on engine=Location |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
You had to push every car down a hill to start it

```conllu
# sent_id = question:history:83-toad-s-edwardian-england-early-motor-cars-caravans-steam-trains-wash-day-and-gold-sovereigns:t3:o4:1
# text = You had to push every car down a hill to start it
1	You	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	push	push	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
5	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	6	det	_	_
6	car	car	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	down	down	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	hill	hill	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	start	start	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	advcl	_	_
12	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | You |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **push** | to-infinitive | You *not said here* | every car |  | a hill |  |  | vn funnel-9.3-1-1 «NP V NP PP.trajectory»: agent=Agent car=Theme down hill=Trajectory |
| 3 | **start** | to-infinitive | You *not said here* | car |  |  |  |  | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Eventuality |

<!-- 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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