---
title: Gran from Bristol says "Cheers, my lover" to the postman. Your frien… — Formal and informal: a mate versus the… · tree and pragmatics
description: Gran from Bristol says "Cheers, my lover" to the postman. Your friend from London is shocked. What's the truth? Test 9 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 ea
---

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# Test 9 · Formal and informal: a mate versus the head teacher

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Gran from Bristol says "Cheers, my lover" to the postman. Your friend from London is shocked. What's the truth?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** Gran, friend, truth · **What happens:** say, be · **To what, where:** Cheers, postman · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 9 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/#t9).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Gran from Bristol says "Cheers, my lover" to the postman.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:16-formal-and-informal-a-mate-versus-the-head-teacher:t9:1
# text = Gran from Bristol says "Cheers, my lover" to the postman.
1	Gran	Gran	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	from	from	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	Bristol	Bristol	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	1	nmod	_	_
4	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	Cheers	cheer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
8	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	lover	lover	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	_
11	to	to	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	postman	postman	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | Gran from Bristol | Cheers and my lover | the postman |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: agent=Agent cheer=Topic to postman=Recipient |

<!-- .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:* Your friend from London is shocked.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:16-formal-and-informal-a-mate-versus-the-head-teacher:t9:2
# text = Your friend from London is shocked.
1	Your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	friend	friend	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	from	from	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	London	London	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
6	shocked	shocked	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

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

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 3:* What's the truth?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:16-formal-and-informal-a-mate-versus-the-head-teacher:t9:3
# text = What's the truth?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	truth	truth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

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

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It means she wants the postman to go away

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:16-formal-and-informal-a-mate-versus-the-head-teacher:t9:o1:1
# text = It means she wants the postman to go away
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	wants	want	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	ccomp	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	postman	postman	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	go	go	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
9	away	away	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | It |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **want** | present | she | the postman |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **go away** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | the postman *not said here* |  |  |  |  | away *property* | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It's a rude thing to say to a postman in Bristol

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:16-formal-and-informal-a-mate-versus-the-head-teacher:t9:o2:1
# text = It's a rude thing to say to a postman in Bristol
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	rude	rude	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	thing	thing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	say	say	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	acl	_	_
8	to	to	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	postman	postman	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
11	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	Bristol	Bristol	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | It | a rude thing |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | to-infinitive |  |  | a postman in Bristol |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V PP.recipient S-Quote»: agent=Agent to postman=Recipient |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It's a friendly West Country greeting to anyone

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:16-formal-and-informal-a-mate-versus-the-head-teacher:t9:o3:1
# text = It's a friendly West Country greeting to anyone
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
4	friendly	friendly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
5	West	West	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	Country	Country	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	greeting	greet	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
8	to	to	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	anyone	anyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	7	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **greet** *speech: greet* | present · progressive | It |  |  |  |  | to anyone | vn judgment-33.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Gran is in love with the postman and is telling him

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:16-formal-and-informal-a-mate-versus-the-head-teacher:t9:o4:1
# text = Gran is in love with the postman and is telling him
1	Gran	Gran	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	love	love	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	postman	postman	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
10	telling	tell	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	parataxis	_	_
11	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	iobj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Gran |  |  | love |  | with the postman | tree rules |
| 2 | **tell** *speech: assert* | present · progressive |  |  | Gran |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent he=Recipient |

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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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