---
title: Your nan goes "kids today are ruining English, it was perfect in my… — Is there one proper English? The big a… · tree and pragmatics
description: Your nan goes "kids today are ruining English, it was perfect in my day." What's the fair answer? Test 1 · ★★★ of lesson 20 «Is there one proper English? The big arguments» of the language course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option; Mo
---

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# Test 1 · ★★★ · Is there one proper English? The big arguments

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Your nan goes "kids today are ruining English, it was perfect in my day." What's the fair answer?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** nan, kids, fair answer · **What happens:** go, ruin, be · **To what, where:** kids, English · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 1 · ★★★ of lesson 20 «Is there one proper English? The big arguments» 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/20-is-there-one-proper-english/#t1).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Your nan goes "kids today are ruining English, it was perfect in my day."

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:20-is-there-one-proper-english:t1:1
# text = Your nan goes "kids today are ruining English, it was perfect in my day."
1	Your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	nan	nan	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	goes	go	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	kids	kid	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
6	today	today	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl:unmarked	_	_
7	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
8	ruining	ruin	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	acl	_	_
9	English	English	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
11	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
12	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
13	perfect	perfect	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	parataxis	_	_
14	in	in	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	16	nmod:poss	_	_
16	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go** | present | Your nan | kids |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7 «NP V S-Quote»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **ruin** *in a quote* | present · progressive | kids *not said here* | English |  |  | today |  | vn destroy-44 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent english=Patient |
| 3 | **is** *in a quote* | past | nan |  |  |  | day | perfect *property* | tree rules |

<!-- .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's the fair answer?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:20-is-there-one-proper-english:t1:2
# text = What's the fair answer?
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	5	det	_	_
4	fair	fair	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	answer	answer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

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

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
People have said that for centuries; English changes but keeps working

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:20-is-there-one-proper-english:t1:o1:1
# text = People have said that for centuries; English changes but keeps working
1	People	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	have	have	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	said	say	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	3	mark	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	centuries	century	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	9	punct	_	_
8	English	English	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
9	changes	change	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	parataxis	_	_
10	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	keeps	keep	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	conj	_	_
12	working	work	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	11	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present · perfect | People |  |  |  | century |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **change** | present | English |  |  |  |  |  | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **keep** | present | English *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **work** | gerund | English *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn employment-95.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
English has never changed, so it can't be ruined

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:20-is-there-one-proper-english:t1:o2:1
# text = English has never changed, so it can't be ruined
1	English	English	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	changed	change	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
6	so	so	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj:pass	_	_
8	ca	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	11	advmod	_	_
10	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	aux:pass	_	_
11	ruined	ruin	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **change** | present · perfect | English |  |  |  |  |  | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **not** **ruin** | can · passive |  | it |  |  |  |  | vn destroy-44 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She's right, and English was even more perfect in 1066

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:20-is-there-one-proper-english:t1:o3:1
# text = She's right, and English was even more perfect in 1066
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|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	,	_	10	punct	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
6	English	English	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
7	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
8	even	even	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	10	amod	_	_
10	perfect	perfect	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	conj	_	_
11	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	1066	1066	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	10	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | She |  |  |  |  | right *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | past | English |  |  | 1066 |  | perfect *property* | tree rules |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She's right, English was perfect in her day and will soon stop working

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:20-is-there-one-proper-english:t1:o4:1
# text = She's right, English was perfect in her day and will soon stop working
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|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	English	English	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
6	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	perfect	perfect	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	conj	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
10	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
12	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	14	aux	_	_
13	soon	soon	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	14	advmod	_	_
14	stop	stop	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	conj	_	_
15	working	work	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	14	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | She |  |  |  |  | right *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | past | English |  |  |  | day | perfect *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **stop** | future | She *not said here* |  |  |  |  | soon *property* | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Affector clause=Eventuality |
| 4 | **work** | gerund | She *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn employment-95.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

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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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