--- title: A Gen Alpha kid says "'The old man the boat' is giving broken Englis… — Grammar puzzles, part one · tree and pragmatics description: A Gen Alpha kid says "'The old man the boat' is giving broken English, it's mid." ("Mid" means not good.) Is it broken? Test 2 · ★★ of lesson 11 «Grammar puzzles, part one» of the language course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option; Mo --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/language/11-grammar-puzzles-part-one/t2/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [questions](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/) / [Language](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/language/) / [Grammar puzzles, part one](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/language/11-grammar-puzzles-part-one/) / t2 # Test 2 · ★★ · Grammar puzzles, part one A Gen Alpha kid says "'The old man the boat' is giving broken English, it's mid." ("Mid" means not good.) Is it broken? **Mova's choice:** option 4 · **The right answer:** option 4 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** Gen kid, old man, Mid · **What happens:** say, give, break, mean · **To what, where:** broken English, boat · **Speech:** someone speaks here This is test 2 · ★★ of lesson 11 «Grammar puzzles, part one» 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/11-grammar-puzzles-part-one/#t2). ## The question {#question} *Sentence 1:* A Gen Alpha kid says "'The old man the boat' is giving broken English, it's mid." ```conllu # sent_id = question:language:11-grammar-puzzles-part-one:t2:1 # text = A Gen Alpha kid says "'The old man the boat' is giving broken English, it's mid." 1 A a DET DT Definite=Ind|PronType=Art 4 det _ _ 2 Gen Gen PROPN NNP Number=Sing 4 compound _ _ 3 Alpha Alpha PROPN NNP Number=Sing 2 flat _ _ 4 kid kid NOUN NN Number=Sing 5 nsubj _ _ 5 says say VERB VBZ Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin 0 root _ _ 6 " " PUNCT `` _ 10 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 7 ' ' PUNCT `` _ 10 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 8 The the DET DT Definite=Def|PronType=Art 10 det _ _ 9 old old ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 10 amod _ _ 10 man man NOUN NN Number=Sing 15 nsubj _ _ 11 the the DET DT Definite=Def|PronType=Art 12 det _ _ 12 boat boat NOUN NN Number=Sing 10 appos _ SpaceAfter=No 13 ' ' PUNCT '' _ 10 punct _ _ 14 is be AUX VBZ Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin 15 aux _ _ 15 giving give VERB VBG Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part 5 ccomp _ _ 16 broken break VERB VBN Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass 17 amod _ _ 17 English English PROPN NNP Number=Sing 15 iobj _ SpaceAfter=No 18 , , PUNCT , _ 21 punct _ _ 19 it it PRON PRP Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs 21 nsubj _ SpaceAfter=No 20 's be AUX VBZ Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin 21 cop _ _ 21 mid mid X AFX _ 5 ccomp _ SpaceAfter=No 22 . . PUNCT . _ 21 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 23 " " PUNCT '' _ 21 punct _ _ ``` | # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | a Gen kid | | | | | | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic | | 2 | **give** *in a quote* | present · progressive | the old man | | broken English | | | | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent english=Theme | | 3 | **break** *in a quote* | participle | | | | | | | vn hurt-40.8.3-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Patient | 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. *Sentence 2:* ("Mid" means not good.) ```conllu # sent_id = question:language:11-grammar-puzzles-part-one:t2:2 # text = ("Mid" means not good.) 1 ( ( PUNCT -LRB- _ 5 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 2 " " PUNCT `` _ 3 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 3 Mid Mid PROPN NNP Number=Sing 5 nsubj _ SpaceAfter=No 4 " " PUNCT '' _ 3 punct _ _ 5 means mean VERB VBZ Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin 0 root _ _ 6 not not PART RB Polarity=Neg 7 advmod _ _ 7 good good ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 5 xcomp _ SpaceAfter=No 8 . . PUNCT . _ 5 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 9 ) ) PUNCT -RRB- _ 5 punct _ _ ``` | # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | **mean** | present | Mid | | | | | good *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent | *Sentence 3:* Is it broken? ```conllu # sent_id = question:language:11-grammar-puzzles-part-one:t2:3 # text = Is it broken? 1 Is be AUX VBZ Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin 3 aux:pass _ _ 2 it it PRON PRP Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs 3 nsubj:pass _ _ 3 broken break VERB VBN Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass 0 root _ SpaceAfter=No 4 ? ? PUNCT . _ 3 punct _ _ ``` | # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | **break** | present · passive | | boat | | | | | vn hurt-40.8.3-1-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient | ## The options {#options} ### Option 1 {#o1} Yes, it has no verb at all ```conllu # sent_id = question:language:11-grammar-puzzles-part-one:t2:o1:1 # text = Yes, it has no verb at all 1 Yes yes INTJ UH Polarity=Pos 4 discourse _ SpaceAfter=No 2 , , PUNCT , _ 1 punct _ _ 3 it it PRON PRP Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs 4 nsubj _ _ 4 has have VERB VBZ Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin 0 root _ _ 5 no no DET DT PronType=Neg 6 det _ _ 6 verb verb NOUN NN Number=Sing 4 obj _ _ 7 at at ADP IN _ 8 case _ _ 8 all all DET DT PronType=Tot 6 nmod _ _ ``` | # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | **have** | present | it | no verb | | all | | | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent verb=Patient | ### Option 2 {#o2} No, "old" is the verb ```conllu # sent_id = question:language:11-grammar-puzzles-part-one:t2:o2:1 # text = No, "old" is the verb 1 No no INTJ UH Polarity=Neg 4 discourse _ SpaceAfter=No 2 , , PUNCT , _ 1 punct _ _ 3 " " PUNCT `` _ 4 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 4 old old ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 8 amod _ SpaceAfter=No 5 " " PUNCT '' _ 4 punct _ _ 6 is be AUX VBZ Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin 8 cop _ _ 7 the the DET DT Definite=Def|PronType=Art 8 det _ _ 8 verb verb NOUN NN Number=Sing 0 root _ _ ``` | # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | **is a** | present | | the old verb | | | | | tree rules | ### Option 3 {#o3} Yes, it should be "The old man rows the boat" ```conllu # sent_id = question:language:11-grammar-puzzles-part-one:t2:o3:1 # text = Yes, it should be "The old man rows the boat" 1 Yes yes INTJ UH Polarity=Pos 10 discourse _ SpaceAfter=No 2 , , PUNCT , _ 1 punct _ _ 3 it it PRON PRP Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs 10 nsubj _ _ 4 should should AUX MD VerbForm=Fin 10 aux _ _ 5 be be AUX VB VerbForm=Inf 10 cop _ _ 6 " " PUNCT `` _ 10 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 7 The the DET DT Definite=Def|PronType=Art 9 det _ _ 8 old old ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 9 amod _ _ 9 man man NOUN NN Number=Sing 10 nsubj _ _ 10 rows row VERB VBZ Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin 0 root _ _ 11 the the DET DT Definite=Def|PronType=Art 12 det _ _ 12 boat boat NOUN NN Number=Sing 10 obj _ SpaceAfter=No 13 " " PUNCT '' _ 10 punct _ _ ``` | # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | **is** *in a quote* | should | it | | | | | row *property* | tree rules | ### Option 4 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o4} No, "man" is the verb: old people crew the boat ```conllu # sent_id = question:language:11-grammar-puzzles-part-one:t2:o4:1 # text = No, "man" is the verb: old people crew the boat 1 No no INTJ UH Polarity=Neg 8 discourse _ SpaceAfter=No 2 , , PUNCT , _ 8 punct _ _ 3 " " PUNCT `` _ 4 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 4 man man NOUN NN Number=Sing 8 nsubj _ SpaceAfter=No 5 " " PUNCT '' _ 4 punct _ _ 6 is be AUX VBZ Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin 8 cop _ _ 7 the the DET DT Definite=Def|PronType=Art 8 det _ _ 8 verb verb NOUN NN Number=Sing 0 root _ SpaceAfter=No 9 : : PUNCT : _ 12 punct _ _ 10 old old ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 11 amod _ _ 11 people people NOUN NNS Number=Plur 12 nsubj _ _ 12 crew crew VERB VBP Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin 8 conj _ _ 13 the the DET DT Definite=Def|PronType=Art 14 det _ _ 14 boat boat NOUN NN Number=Sing 12 obj _ _ ``` | # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | **is a** | present | man | the verb | | | | | tree rules | | 2 | **crew** | present | old people | the boat | | | | | vn captain-29.8-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent boat=Beneficiary | **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. - ← previous: [Grammar puzzles, part one, test 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/language/11-grammar-puzzles-part-one/t1/) - next →: [Grammar puzzles, part one, test 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/language/11-grammar-puzzles-part-one/t3/) - ↑ back to [Grammar puzzles, part one](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/language/11-grammar-puzzles-part-one/)