---
title: A Liverpool kid answers his mum's phone "Wha'?" ("Wha'" is a quick "… — Formal and informal: a mate versus the… · tree and pragmatics
description: A Liverpool kid answers his mum's phone "Wha'?" ("Wha'" is a quick "what?") and it's the head teacher. What should he have said? Test 7 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 q
---

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# Test 7 · Formal and informal: a mate versus the head teacher

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A Liverpool kid answers his mum's phone "Wha'?" ("Wha'" is a quick "what?") and it's the head teacher. What should he have said?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 2 · **The right answer:** option 1 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** Liverpool kid, Wha, phone · **What happens:** answer, be, say · **To what, where:** phone, head teacher · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 7 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/#t7).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* A Liverpool kid answers his mum's phone "Wha'?"

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:16-formal-and-informal-a-mate-versus-the-head-teacher:t7:1
# text = A Liverpool kid answers his mum's phone "Wha'?"
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	Liverpool	Liverpool	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	kid	kid	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	answers	answer	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	's	's	PART	POS	_	6	case	_	_
8	phone	phone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
9	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	Wha	Wha	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	'	'	PUNCT	''	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **answer** *speech: assert* | present | a Liverpool kid | kid's mum's phone |  |  |  |  | vn reciprocate-112-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent phone=Eventuality |

<!-- .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:* ("Wha'" is a quick "what?") and it's the head teacher.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:16-formal-and-informal-a-mate-versus-the-head-teacher:t7:2
# text = ("Wha'" is a quick "what?") and it's the head teacher.
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	Wha	Wha	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	'	'	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	quick	quick	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
9	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	10	punct	_	_
14	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
15	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	19	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	19	cop	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
18	head	head	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	compound	_	_
19	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Wha |  |  |  |  | quick *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **is a** | present | phone | the head teacher |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 3:* What should he have said?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:16-formal-and-informal-a-mate-versus-the-head-teacher:t7:3
# text = What should he have said?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	5	obj	_	_
2	should	should	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
3	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
4	have	have	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	aux	_	_
5	said	say	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

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

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Hello, who's calling, please?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:16-formal-and-informal-a-mate-versus-the-head-teacher:t7:o1:1
# text = Hello, who's calling, please?
1	Hello	hello	INTJ	UH	_	5	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
3	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	5	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	calling	call	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
7	please	please	INTJ	UH	_	5	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** | present · progressive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

### Option 2 · ← Mova's choice {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Wha', who is it, la, I'm busy

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:16-formal-and-informal-a-mate-versus-the-head-teacher:t7:o2:1
# text = Wha', who is it, la, I'm busy
1	Wha	Wha	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	',	',	PART	POS	_	1	case	_	_
3	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	5	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	1	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
7	la	la	INTJ	UH	_	11	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
9	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	'm	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
11	busy	busy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	parataxis	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Wha | it |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present | I |  |  |  |  | busy *property* | tree rules |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
What do you want, I'm watching telly

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:16-formal-and-informal-a-mate-versus-the-head-teacher:t7:o3:1
# text = What do you want, I'm watching telly
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	want	want	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	'm	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
8	watching	watch	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	xcomp	_	_
9	telly	telly	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **want** | present · do-support | you |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **watch** *not said to happen* | present · progressive | I | telly |  |  |  |  | vn assessment-34.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent telly=Theme |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Nothing, he should have just hung up

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:16-formal-and-informal-a-mate-versus-the-head-teacher:t7:o4:1
# text = Nothing, he should have just hung up
1	Nothing	nothing	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	7	nsubj:pass	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
4	should	should	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
5	have	have	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	aux	_	_
6	just	just	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	hung	hang	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
8	up	up	ADP	RP	_	7	compound:prt	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hang up** | should · perfect · passive |  | Nothing |  |  |  |  | vn poison-42.2 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |

<!-- 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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