---
title: Tia hears «That's not the worst idea you've had» and sulks: «so it's… — Not unhappy and not half: litotes · tree and pragmatics
description: Tia hears «That's not the worst idea you've had» and sulks: «so it's a bad idea». Then Dad gets the picnic basket out. What has she missed? Test 2 · ★★ of lesson 50 «Not unhappy and not half: litotes» of the language course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the que
---

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# Test 2 · ★★ · Not unhappy and not half: litotes

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Tia hears «That's not the worst idea you've had» and sulks: «so it's a bad idea». Then Dad gets the picnic basket out. What has she missed?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 2 · **The right answer:** option 2 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** Tia, That, you, idea, Dad · **What happens:** hear, not be, have, sulk, be, get out · **To what, where:** worst idea, bad idea, picnic basket · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 2 · ★★ of lesson 50 «Not unhappy and not half: litotes» 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/50-not-unhappy-and-not-half-litotes/#t2).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Tia hears «That's not the worst idea you've had» and sulks: «so it's a bad idea».

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:50-not-unhappy-and-not-half-litotes:t2:1
# text = Tia hears «That's not the worst idea you've had» and sulks: «so it's a bad idea».
1	Tia	Tia	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	hears	hear	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	That	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	9	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
6	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	9	advmod	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	worst	bad	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	9	amod	_	_
9	idea	idea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	ccomp	_	_
10	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	've	have	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	aux	_	_
12	had	have	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	9	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	9	punct	_	_
14	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
15	sulks	sulk	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	2	punct	_	_
17	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	23	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	so	so	ADV	RB	_	23	advmod	_	_
19	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	23	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	23	cop	_	_
21	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	23	det	_	_
22	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	23	amod	_	_
23	idea	idea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	23	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hear** | present | Tia |  |  |  |  |  | vn see-30.1-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Experiencer clause=Stimulus |
| 2 | **not** **is a** *in a quote* | present | That | the worst idea |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **have** *in a quote* | present · perfect | you | the worst idea *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent idea=Patient |
| 4 | **sulk** | present | Tia *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn marvel-31.3 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 5 | **is a** *in a quote* | present | idea | a bad idea |  |  |  |  | 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:* Then Dad gets the picnic basket out.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:50-not-unhappy-and-not-half-litotes:t2:2
# text = Then Dad gets the picnic basket out.
1	Then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	3	advmod	_	_
2	Dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	gets	get	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	picnic	picnic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	basket	basket	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	out	out	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get out** | present | Dad | the picnic basket |  |  | then |  | tree rules |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 3:* What has she missed?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:50-not-unhappy-and-not-half-litotes:t2:3
# text = What has she missed?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	4	obj	_	_
2	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	missed	miss	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **miss** | present · perfect | Tia |  |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer what=Stimulus |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dad is going on a picnic without her

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:50-not-unhappy-and-not-half-litotes:t2:o1:1
# text = Dad is going on a picnic without her
1	Dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	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	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	picnic	picnic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	without	without	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go** | present · progressive | Dad |  |  | a picnic |  | without her *= she* | vn occur-48.3-2 «NP V PP»: agent=Theme on picnic=Location |

### Option 2 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It was a dry way of saying «good idea»

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:50-not-unhappy-and-not-half-litotes:t2:o2:1
# text = It was a dry way of saying «good idea»
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	dry	dry	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
7	saying	say	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	acl	_	_
8	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	idea	idea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | It | a dry way |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | gerund | a dry way *not said here* | good idea |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent idea=Topic |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dad was talking about another idea

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:50-not-unhappy-and-not-half-litotes:t2:o3:1
# text = Dad was talking about another idea
1	Dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	talking	talk	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	about	about	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	another	another	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	6	det	_	_
6	idea	idea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **talk** | past · progressive | Dad |  |  |  |  | about another idea | vn talk-37.5 «NP V PP.topic»: agent=Agent about idea=Topic |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dad means it's only the second worst idea

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:50-not-unhappy-and-not-half-litotes:t2:o4:1
# text = Dad means it's only the second worst idea
1	Dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	expl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
5	only	only	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
7	second	second	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	9	amod	_	_
8	worst	bad	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	9	amod	_	_
9	idea	idea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	ccomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Dad |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is a** | present |  | the second worst idea |  |  |  |  | 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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