---
title: «the lessons got shorter every day, so on day 11 they had none, righ… — Alice's word games: puns, parodies and… · tree and pragmatics
description: «the lessons got shorter every day, so on day 11 they had none, right?» Why does the Gryphon say they «lessen»? Test 3 · ★★★ of lesson 41 «Alice's word games: puns, parodies and nonsense» of the language course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of 
---

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# Test 3 · ★★★ · Alice's word games: puns, parodies and nonsense

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«the lessons got shorter every day, so on day 11 they had none, right?» Why does the Gryphon say they «lessen»?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 3 · **The right answer:** option 3 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** lessons, Gryphon · **What happens:** get, have, do, say, lessen · **To what, where:** none · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 3 · ★★★ of lesson 41 «Alice's word games: puns, parodies and nonsense» 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/41-alice-s-word-games-puns-parodies-and-nonsense/#t3).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* «the lessons got shorter every day, so on day 11 they had none, right?»

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:41-alice-s-word-games-puns-parodies-and-nonsense:t3:1
# text = «the lessons got shorter every day, so on day 11 they had none, right?»
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	lessons	lesson	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	got	get	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	shorter	short	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	4	xcomp	_	_
6	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	7	det	_	_
7	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
9	so	so	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	_
10	on	on	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	_
12	11	11	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	11	flat	_	_
13	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
14	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
15	none	none	PRON	NN	PronType=Neg	14	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
17	right	right	INTJ	UH	_	4	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** *in a quote* | past | the lessons |  |  |  |  | short *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **have** *in a quote* | past | lessons *= lesson* | none |  |  | day |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent none=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:* Why does the Gryphon say they «lessen»?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:41-alice-s-word-games-puns-parodies-and-nonsense:t3:2
# text = Why does the Gryphon say they «lessen»?
1	Why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	2	advmod	_	_
2	does	do	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	advcl	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	Gryphon	Gryphon	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	say	say	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
7	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	lessen	lessen	VERB	VB	Mood=Sub|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | present | the Gryphon *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | the Gryphon |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **lessen** *in a quote* | infinitive | lessons *= lesson* |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Because the teachers got lazier each day of the week

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:41-alice-s-word-games-puns-parodies-and-nonsense:t3:o1:1
# text = Because the teachers got lazier each day of the week
1	Because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	4	mark	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	teachers	teacher	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	got	get	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	lazier	lazy	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	4	xcomp	_	_
6	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	7	det	_	_
7	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl:unmarked	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	week	week	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** | past | the teachers |  |  |  | day | lazy *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Because the sea washed one page of the lesson book away each day, until nothing was left

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:41-alice-s-word-games-puns-parodies-and-nonsense:t3:o2:1
# text = Because the sea washed one page of the lesson book away each day, until nothing was left
1	Because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	4	mark	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	sea	sea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	washed	wash	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	6	nummod	_	_
6	page	page	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	lesson	lesson	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	book	book	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
11	away	away	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
12	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	13	det	_	_
13	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
15	until	until	SCONJ	IN	_	18	mark	_	_
16	nothing	nothing	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	18	nsubj:pass	_	_
17	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	18	aux:pass	_	_
18	left	leave	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 | **wash** | past | the sea | one page of the lesson book |  |  | day | away *property* | vn floss-41.2.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent page=Patient |
| 2 | **leave** | past · passive |  | nothing |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |
| 3 | **page** |  |  | the lesson book |  |  |  |  | nom page «communication transitive»: of=patient |

### Option 3 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It's a pun: «lessons» sounds like «lessen», which means get smaller

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:41-alice-s-word-games-puns-parodies-and-nonsense:t3:o3:1
# text = It's a pun: «lessons» sounds like «lessen», which means get smaller
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|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	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	pun	pun	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	9	punct	_	_
6	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	lessons	lesson	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	7	punct	_	_
9	sounds	sound	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	acl:relcl	_	_
10	like	like	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
11	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	lessen	lessen	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
15	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	16	nsubj	_	_
16	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
17	get	get	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	16	ccomp	_	_
18	smaller	small	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	17	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | It | a pun |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **sound** | present | lessons | a pun *not said here* |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **lessen** *in a quote* | infinitive | lessons *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 4 | **mean** | present | a pun |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 5 | **get** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | small *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Because the Mock Turtle forgot a bit more every night

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:41-alice-s-word-games-puns-parodies-and-nonsense:t3:o4:1
# text = Because the Mock Turtle forgot a bit more every night
1	Because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	Mock	Mock	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	Turtle	Turtle	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	forgot	forget	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	bit	bit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl:unmarked	_	_
8	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	5	obj	_	_
9	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	10	det	_	_
10	night	night	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl:unmarked	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **forget** | past | the Mock Turtle | more |  |  | night |  | 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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