---
title: Your Nigerian mate says "I'm coming" and walks out. Your nan thinks… — Is there one proper English? The big a… · tree and pragmatics
description: Your Nigerian mate says "I'm coming" and walks out. Your nan thinks he's rude. What's going on? Test 9 · ★★★ 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; Mova
---

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# Test 9 · ★★★ · Is there one proper English? The big arguments

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Your Nigerian mate says "I'm coming" and walks out. Your nan thinks he's rude. What's going on?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** Nigerian mate, nan · **What happens:** say, come, walk out, think, be, go on · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Your Nigerian mate says "I'm coming" and walks out.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:20-is-there-one-proper-english:t9:1
# text = Your Nigerian mate says "I'm coming" and walks out.
1	Your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	Nigerian	nigerian	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	mate	mate	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	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
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	coming	come	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	8	punct	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	walks	walk	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
12	out	out	ADP	RP	_	11	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | Your Nigerian mate |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **come** *in a quote* | present · progressive | Your Nigerian mate *= mate* |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **walk out** | present | Your Nigerian mate *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn resign-10.11 «NP V»: 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:* Your nan thinks he's rude.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:20-is-there-one-proper-english:t9:2
# text = Your nan thinks he's rude.
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	thinks	think	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
6	rude	rude	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **think** *speech: other* | present | Your nan |  |  |  |  |  | vn focus-87.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | present | nan |  |  |  |  | rude *property* | tree rules |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 3:* What's going on?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:20-is-there-one-proper-english:t9:3
# text = What's going on?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	3	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	going	go	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go on** | present · progressive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn function-105.2.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He has misheard and thinks someone called him

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:20-is-there-one-proper-english:t9:o1:1
# text = He has misheard and thinks someone called him
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	misheard	mishear	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	thinks	think	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
6	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	7	nsubj	_	_
7	called	call	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	ccomp	_	_
8	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mishear** | present · perfect | He |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **think** *speech: other* | present | He *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn consider-29.9-2 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 3 | **call** | past | someone |  | him *= he* |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent he=Recipient |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He's being rude and never coming back

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:20-is-there-one-proper-english:t9:o2:1
# text = He's being rude and never coming back
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	cop	_	_
4	rude	rude	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
6	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	7	advmod	_	_
7	coming	come	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	conj	_	_
8	back	back	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | He |  |  |  |  | rude *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **come back** | gerund | He *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In Nigerian English it can mean "I'll be back soon"

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:20-is-there-one-proper-english:t9:o3:1
# text = In Nigerian English it can mean "I'll be back soon"
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	Nigerian	Nigerian	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	English	English	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
4	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
5	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
7	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	'll	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
10	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	cop	_	_
11	back	back	ADV	RB	_	6	ccomp	_	_
12	soon	soon	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	11	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | can | it |  |  |  |  | in Nigerian English | vn representation-110.1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Pivot in english=Attribute |
| 2 | **is** *in a quote* | future | I |  |  |  |  | back, soon *property* | tree rules |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He's lost and doesn't know where he's going

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:20-is-there-one-proper-english:t9:o4:1
# text = He's lost and doesn't know where he's going
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|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	aux:pass	_	_
3	lost	lose	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
5	does	do	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	7	advmod	_	_
7	know	know	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	conj	_	_
8	where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	11	advmod	_	_
9	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
11	going	go	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	7	ccomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lose** | present · passive |  | He |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Eventuality |
| 2 | **not** **know** | present · do-support |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V how S\_INF»: agent=Experiencer clause=Stimulus |
| 3 | **go** | present · progressive | he |  |  |  |  |  | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

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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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