---
title: You offer Gran a biscuit and she says «I wouldn't say no». You put t… — Not unhappy and not half: litotes · tree and pragmatics
description: You offer Gran a biscuit and she says «I wouldn't say no». You put the tin away because «she didn't say yes». What went wrong? Test 5 · ★★ 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 question and of 
---

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# Test 5 · ★★ · Not unhappy and not half: litotes

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
You offer Gran a biscuit and she says «I wouldn't say no». You put the tin away because «she didn't say yes». What went wrong?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** You, Gran · **What happens:** offer, say, not say, put away, go · **To what, where:** biscuit, Gran, tin · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 5 · ★★ 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/#t5).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* You offer Gran a biscuit and she says «I wouldn't say no».

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:50-not-unhappy-and-not-half-litotes:t5:1
# text = You offer Gran a biscuit and she says «I wouldn't say no».
1	You	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	offer	offer	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	Gran	Gran	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	biscuit	biscuit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
7	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
9	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
11	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	13	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	13	advmod	_	_
13	say	say	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	ccomp	_	_
14	no	no	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Neg	13	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **offer** | present | You | a biscuit | Gran |  |  |  | vn future\_having-13.3 «NP V NP.goal NP»: agent=Agent gran=Goal biscuit=Theme |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | Gran |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **not** **say** *speech: assert* *in a quote* | would | Gran |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: 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:* You put the tin away because «she didn't say yes».

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:50-not-unhappy-and-not-half-litotes:t5:2
# text = You put the tin away because «she didn't say yes».
1	You	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	put	put	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	tin	tin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	away	away	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
6	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
7	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
9	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	11	advmod	_	_
11	say	say	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
12	yes	yes	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Pos	11	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **put away** | past | You | the tin |  |  |  | away *property* | vn invest-13.5.4-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent tin=Goal |
| 2 | **not** **say** *speech: assert* *in a quote* | past · do-support | Gran |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent yes=Topic |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 3:* What went wrong?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:50-not-unhappy-and-not-half-litotes:t5:3
# text = What went wrong?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	2	nsubj	_	_
2	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go** | past |  |  |  |  |  | wrong *property* | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Gran said no in a very polite way

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:50-not-unhappy-and-not-half-litotes:t5:o1:1
# text = Gran said no in a very polite way
1	Gran	Gran	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	no	no	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Neg	2	ccomp	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
6	very	very	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	polite	polite	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | Gran |  |  | a polite way |  |  | vn pronounce-29.3.1 «NP V NP PP.manner»: agent=Agent in way=Manner |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Gran really wanted you to put them away

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:50-not-unhappy-and-not-half-litotes:t5:o2:1
# text = Gran really wanted you to put them away
1	Gran	Gran	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	really	really	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	wanted	want	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	obj	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	put	put	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
7	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	away	away	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **want** | past | Gran | you |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **put away** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | you *not said here* | them *= they* |  |  |  | away *property* | vn invest-13.5.4-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent they=Goal |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Gran only eats biscuits on Sundays

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:50-not-unhappy-and-not-half-litotes:t5:o3:1
# text = Gran only eats biscuits on Sundays
1	Gran	Gran	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	only	only	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	eats	eat	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	biscuits	biscuit	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	Sundays	Sunday	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **eat** | present | Gran | biscuits |  |  | sunday |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent biscuit=Patient |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«I wouldn't say no» was a polite yes

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:50-not-unhappy-and-not-half-litotes:t5:o4:1
# text = «I wouldn't say no» was a polite yes
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
3	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	5	advmod	_	_
5	say	say	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	csubj	_	_
6	no	no	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Neg	5	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
8	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	polite	polite	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	yes	yes	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **say** *speech: assert* *in a quote* | would | I |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is a** | past |  | a polite yes |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

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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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