---
title: Your little brother says "Alexa, weather, now!" and your mum says "M… — Formal and informal: a mate versus the… · tree and pragmatics
description: Your little brother says "Alexa, weather, now!" and your mum says "Manners!" What is true? Test 11 of lesson 16 «Formal and informal: a mate versus the head teacher» of the language course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option; Mova's ch
---

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# Test 11 · Formal and informal: a mate versus the head teacher

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Your little brother says "Alexa, weather, now!" and your mum says "Manners!" What is true?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** little brother, mum · **What happens:** say, be · **To what, where:** Alexa · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 11 of lesson 16 «Formal and informal: a mate versus the head teacher» 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/16-formal-and-informal-a-mate-versus-the-head-teacher/#t11).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Your little brother says "Alexa, weather, now!" and your mum says "Manners!"

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:16-formal-and-informal-a-mate-versus-the-head-teacher:t11:1
# text = Your little brother says "Alexa, weather, now!" and your mum says "Manners!"
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	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	Alexa	Alexa	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
8	weather	weather	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
10	now	now	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	_
13	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
14	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	15	nmod:poss	_	_
15	mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	nsubj	_	_
16	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
17	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	Manners	manners	NOUN	NNS	Number=Ptan	16	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	18	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | Your little brother | Alexa |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent alexa=Topic |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | your mum |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .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 is true?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:16-formal-and-informal-a-mate-versus-the-head-teacher:t11:2
# text = What is true?
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	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

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

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It's illegal to speak to a machine without saying please

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:16-formal-and-informal-a-mate-versus-the-head-teacher:t11:o1:1
# text = It's illegal to speak to a machine without saying please
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|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	illegal	illegal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	speak	speak	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	to	to	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	machine	machine	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
9	without	without	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
10	saying	say	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	5	advcl	_	_
11	please	please	INTJ	UH	_	3	discourse	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | It |  |  |  |  | illegal *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **speak** *speech: other* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | to a machine | vn talk-37.5 «NP V PP.co-agent»: agent=Agent to machine=Co-Agent |
| 3 | **say** *speech: assert* | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Machines feel hurt and cry when people don't say please

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:16-formal-and-informal-a-mate-versus-the-head-teacher:t11:o2:1
# text = Machines feel hurt and cry when people don't say please
1	Machines	machine	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	feel	feel	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	hurt	hurt	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	xcomp	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	cry	cry	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	conj	_	_
6	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	10	advmod	_	_
7	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	nsubj	_	_
8	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	10	advmod	_	_
10	say	say	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	advcl	_	_
11	please	please	INTJ	UH	_	2	discourse	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **feel** | present | Machines |  |  |  |  |  | vn conjecture-29.5-2 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 2 | **hurt** | participle | Machines *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |
| 3 | **cry** *speech: express* | infinitive | Machines *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **not** **say** *speech: assert* | present · do-support | people |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |

### Option 3 · ✓ the right answer {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
People disagree about manners with machines; with people, always be polite

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:16-formal-and-informal-a-mate-versus-the-head-teacher:t11:o3:1
# text = People disagree about manners with machines; with people, always be polite
1	People	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	disagree	disagree	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	about	about	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	manners	manners	NOUN	NNS	Number=Ptan	2	obl	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	machines	machine	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	9	punct	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
11	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	13	advmod	_	_
12	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	13	cop	_	_
13	polite	polite	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	acl:relcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **disagree** | present | People |  |  |  |  | about manners; with machines; with people | vn correspond-36.1 «NP V PP.co-agent PP.theme whether S»: agent=Agent about manners=Topic with machine=Co-Agent |
| 2 | **is** | infinitive | people *not said here* |  |  |  |  | always, polite *property* | tree rules |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Alexa will delete his account if he doesn't say please

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:16-formal-and-informal-a-mate-versus-the-head-teacher:t11:o4:1
# text = Alexa will delete his account if he doesn't say please
1	Alexa	Alexa	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	delete	delete	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	account	account	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
7	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
8	does	do	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	10	advmod	_	_
10	say	say	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	conj	_	_
11	please	please	INTJ	UH	_	10	discourse	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **delete** | future | Alexa | Alexa's account |  |  |  |  | vn remove-10.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent account=Theme |
| 2 | **not** **say** *speech: assert* *a condition, not said to happen* | present · do-support | Alexa |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **account** |  | Alexa |  |  |  |  |  | nom account «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

<!-- 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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- ↑ back to [Formal and informal: a mate versus the head teacher](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/language/16-formal-and-informal-a-mate-versus-the-head-teacher/)