---
title: Your little brother insists "knee" has four sounds because it has fo… — What language is: sounds, words and ru… · tree and pragmatics
description: Your little brother insists "knee" has four sounds because it has four letters. What do you tell him? Test 10 of lesson 1 «What language is: sounds, words and rules everyone shares» of the language course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each o
---

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# Test 10 · What language is: sounds, words and rules everyone shares

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Your little brother insists "knee" has four sounds because it has four letters. What do you tell him?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 4 · **The right answer:** option 4 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** little brother, knee, you · **What happens:** insist, have, tell · **To what, where:** four sounds, four letters, brother · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 10 of lesson 1 «What language is: sounds, words and rules everyone shares» of the language 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/language/1-what-language-is-sounds-words-and-rules/#t10).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Your little brother insists "knee" has four sounds because it has four letters.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:1-what-language-is-sounds-words-and-rules:t10:1
# text = Your little brother insists "knee" has four sounds because it has four letters.
1	Your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	brother	brother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	insists	insist	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	knee	knee	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	_
8	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	ccomp	_	_
9	four	four	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	10	nummod	_	_
10	sounds	sound	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obj	_	_
11	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
12	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
13	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	advcl	_	_
14	four	four	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	15	nummod	_	_
15	letters	letter	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **insist** *speech: other* | present | Your little brother |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **have** | present | knee | four sounds |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sound=Patient |
| 3 | **have** | present | knee | four letters |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent letter=Patient |

<!-- .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:* What do you tell him?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:1-what-language-is-sounds-words-and-rules:t10:2
# text = What do you tell him?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	4	obj	_	_
2	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	tell	tell	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	iobj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | present · do-support | you |  | brother |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent he=Recipient what=Topic |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He's right, every letter makes one sound

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:1-what-language-is-sounds-words-and-rules:t10:o1:1
# text = He's right, every letter makes one sound
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	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	,	_	7	punct	_	_
5	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	6	det	_	_
6	letter	letter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	makes	make	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
8	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	9	nummod	_	_
9	sound	sound	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | He |  |  |  |  | right *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **make** | present | every letter | one sound |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset sound=Product |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It has four sounds, but only in Scotland

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:1-what-language-is-sounds-words-and-rules:t10:o2:1
# text = It has four sounds, but only in Scotland
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	four	four	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	4	nummod	_	_
4	sounds	sound	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
6	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
7	only	only	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	Scotland	Scotland	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | It | four sounds |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sound=Patient |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It has no sounds, because the k is silent

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:1-what-language-is-sounds-words-and-rules:t10:o3:1
# text = It has no sounds, because the k is silent
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	4	det	_	_
4	sounds	sound	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
6	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	k	k	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
10	silent	silent	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	parataxis	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | It | no sounds |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sound=Patient |
| 2 | **is** | present | the k |  |  |  |  | silent *property* | tree rules |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Letters and sounds often don't match in English; it has two sounds

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:1-what-language-is-sounds-words-and-rules:t10:o4:1
# text = Letters and sounds often don't match in English; it has two sounds
1	Letters	letter	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
2	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
3	sounds	sound	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	conj	_	_
4	often	often	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
5	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	7	advmod	_	_
7	match	match	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	English	English	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	12	punct	_	_
11	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
12	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	_
13	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	14	nummod	_	_
14	sounds	sound	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **match** | present · do-support | Letters and sounds |  |  | English |  | often *property* | vn amalgamate-22.2-1 «NP V ADVP-Middle»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **have** | present | it | two sounds |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sound=Patient |

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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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