---
title: Ella from Leeds says "Mam, can I have a biscuit?" Her friend says "M… — British and American words · tree and pragmatics
description: Ella from Leeds says "Mam, can I have a biscuit?" Her friend says "Mam" is wrong. What's true? Test 10 of lesson 21 «British and American words» of the language course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option; Mova's choice was wrong.
---

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# Test 10 · British and American words

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ella from Leeds says "Mam, can I have a biscuit?" Her friend says "Mam" is wrong. What's true?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** Ella, friend, Mam · **What happens:** say, have, be · **To what, where:** Mam, biscuit · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 10 of lesson 21 «British and American words» 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/21-british-and-american-words/#t10).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Ella from Leeds says "Mam, can I have a biscuit?"

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:21-british-and-american-words:t10:1
# text = Ella from Leeds says "Mam, can I have a biscuit?"
1	Ella	Ella	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	from	from	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	Leeds	Leeds	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	Mam	Mam	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
8	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
9	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	have	have	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	ccomp	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	biscuit	biscuit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: ask* | present | Ella from Leeds | Mam |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **have** *in a quote* | can | Ella from Leeds *= ella* | a biscuit |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent biscuit=Patient |

<!-- .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:* Her friend says "Mam" is wrong.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:21-british-and-american-words:t10:2
# text = Her friend says "Mam" is wrong.
1	Her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	friend	friend	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	Mam	Mam	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
8	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | Ella's friend |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | present | Mam |  |  |  |  | wrong *property* | tree rules |

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

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:21-british-and-american-words:t10:3
# text = What's true?
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	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 -->
"Mam" is American slang

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:21-british-and-american-words:t10:o1:1
# text = "Mam" is American slang
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Mam	mam	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	American	American	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	slang	slang	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
```

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

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"Mam" is only used for grandmas, never for mothers, in any part of Britain

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:21-british-and-american-words:t10:o2:1
# text = "Mam" is only used for grandmas, never for mothers, in any part of Britain
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Mam	mam	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj:pass	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux:pass	_	_
5	only	only	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
7	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	grandmas	grandma	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
10	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	12	advmod	_	_
11	for	for	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	mothers	mother	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
14	in	in	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	16	det	_	_
16	part	part	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	parataxis	_	_
17	of	of	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
18	Britain	Britain	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	16	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | present · passive |  | Mam |  |  |  | for grandmas; for mothers | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP PP.predicate»: subject=Theme for grandma=Eventuality |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"Mam" is a typo for "Mum" that spread because of phones autocorrecting

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:21-british-and-american-words:t10:o3:1
# text = "Mam" is a typo for "Mum" that spread because of phones autocorrecting
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Mam	mam	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	typo	typo	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	Mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	9	punct	_	_
11	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	12	nsubj	_	_
12	spread	spread	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	parataxis	_	_
13	because	because	ADP	IN	ExtPos=ADP	15	case	_	_
14	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	fixed	_	_
15	phones	phone	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	obl	_	_
16	autocorrecting	autocorrect	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	12	advcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Mam | a typo |  |  |  | for Mum | tree rules |
| 2 | **spread** | present | that |  |  |  |  | because phones | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **autocorrect** | gerund | that *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

### Option 4 · ✓ the right answer {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"Mam" is normal in parts of Northern England, Wales and Ireland

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:21-british-and-american-words:t10:o4:1
# text = "Mam" is normal in parts of Northern England, Wales and Ireland
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Mam	mam	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	normal	normal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	parts	part	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	Northern	Northern	ADJ	NNP	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	England	England	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
12	Wales	Wales	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	10	conj	_	_
13	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	Ireland	Ireland	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	10	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Mam |  |  | parts of Northern England and Wales and Ireland |  | normal *property* | tree rules |

<!-- 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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