---
title: «Dad said there's a slight problem downstairs, so I'll finish my gam… — A bit nippy and not ideal: British und… · tree and pragmatics
description: «Dad said there's a slight problem downstairs, so I'll finish my game first» You can hear water splashing. What is wrong? Test 4 · ★ of lesson 49 «A bit nippy and not ideal: British understatement» of the language course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the questi
---

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# Test 4 · ★ · A bit nippy and not ideal: British understatement

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Dad said there's a slight problem downstairs, so I'll finish my game first» You can hear water splashing. What is wrong?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** Dad, slight problem, You, water · **What happens:** say, be, finish, hear, splash · **To what, where:** game, water · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 4 · ★ of lesson 49 «A bit nippy and not ideal: British understatement» 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/49-a-bit-nippy-and-not-ideal-british-understatement/#t4).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* «Dad said there's a slight problem downstairs, so I'll finish my game first» You can hear water splashing.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:49-a-bit-nippy-and-not-ideal-british-understatement:t4:1
# text = «Dad said there's a slight problem downstairs, so I'll finish my game first» You can hear water splashing.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	there	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	5	expl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	's	be	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	ccomp	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	slight	slight	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	problem	problem	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
9	downstairs	downstairs	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
11	so	so	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	_
12	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	'll	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	14	aux	_	_
14	finish	finish	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	ccomp	_	_
15	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	16	nmod:poss	_	_
16	game	game	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obj	_	_
17	first	first	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	14	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
19	You	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	21	nsubj	_	_
20	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	21	aux	_	_
21	hear	hear	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	ccomp	_	_
22	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	obj	_	_
23	splashing	splash	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	21	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* *in a quote* | past | Dad |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **be** *in a quote* | present | a slight problem |  |  | there |  | downstairs *property* | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **finish** *in a quote* | future | Dad | my game |  |  |  | first *property* | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V NP.eventuality»: agent=Affector game=Eventuality |
| 4 | **hear** | can | You | water |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 5 | **splash** | gerund | water *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- .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 is wrong?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:49-a-bit-nippy-and-not-ideal-british-understatement:t4:2
# text = What is wrong?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	wrong	wrong	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 |  |  |  |  |  | wrong *property* | tree rules |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Nothing, «slight» means the problem can wait until after your game

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:49-a-bit-nippy-and-not-ideal-british-understatement:t4:o1:1
# text = Nothing, «slight» means the problem can wait until after your game
1	Nothing	nothing	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	6	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
3	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	slight	slight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
6	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	problem	problem	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
9	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
10	wait	wait	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	ccomp	_	_
11	until	until	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
12	after	after	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	14	nmod:poss	_	_
14	game	game	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Nothing |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **wait** | can | the problem |  |  |  | until your game |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Nothing, Dad likes to fix things on his own

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:49-a-bit-nippy-and-not-ideal-british-understatement:t4:o2:1
# text = Nothing, Dad likes to fix things on his own
1	Nothing	nothing	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	3	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	Dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	likes	like	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	fix	fix	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	_
8	on	on	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
10	own	own	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **like** | present | Nothing Dad |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot clause=Theme |
| 2 | **fix** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | Nothing Dad *not said here* | things |  | Dad's own |  |  | vn shake-22.3-2 «NP V NP together»: agent=Agent thing=Patient |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Slight» was playing it down: the splashing shows a big problem

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:49-a-bit-nippy-and-not-ideal-british-understatement:t4:o3:1
# text = «Slight» was playing it down: the splashing shows a big problem
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Slight	slight	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	playing	play	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
6	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	obj	_	_
7	down	down	ADP	RP	_	5	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	11	punct	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	splashing	splashing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
11	shows	show	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	problem	problem	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **play down** | past · progressive | the splashing *not said here* | it |  |  |  |  | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Theme |
| 2 | **show** | present | the splashing | a big problem |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent problem=Recipient |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Splashing water is always a good sign in a kitchen

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:49-a-bit-nippy-and-not-ideal-british-understatement:t4:o4:1
# text = Splashing water is always a good sign in a kitchen
1	Splashing	splash	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	csubj	_	_
2	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
4	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	7	advmod	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	sign	sign	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	kitchen	kitchen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **splash** | gerund |  | water |  |  |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location water=Theme |
| 2 | **is a** | present | Splashing | a good sign |  | a kitchen |  | always *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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