---
title: Your teacher writes "What did you step on?" and Grandad says it brea… — Prepositions and conjunctions: little… · tree and pragmatics
description: Your teacher writes "What did you step on?" and Grandad says it breaks a rule. What's the best reply? Test 4 · ★ of lesson 6 «Prepositions and conjunctions: little words that hold sentences together» of the language course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the ques
---

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# Test 4 · ★ · Prepositions and conjunctions: little words that hold sent…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Your teacher writes "What did you step on?" and Grandad says it breaks a rule. What's the best reply?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** teacher, you, Grandad, best reply · **What happens:** write, step on, say, break, be · **To what, where:** rule · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 4 · ★ of lesson 6 «Prepositions and conjunctions: little words that hold sentences together» 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/6-prepositions-and-conjunctions/#t4).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Your teacher writes "What did you step on?" and Grandad says it breaks a rule.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:6-prepositions-and-conjunctions:t4:1
# text = Your teacher writes "What did you step on?" and Grandad says it breaks a rule.
1	Your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	writes	write	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	8	obj	_	_
6	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
7	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	step	step	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	ccomp	_	_
9	on	on	ADP	RP	_	8	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	8	punct	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
13	Grandad	Grandad	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	14	nsubj	_	_
14	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
15	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	nsubj	_	_
16	breaks	break	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	ccomp	_	_
17	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	rule	rule	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write** | present | Your teacher |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1 «NP V S-Quote»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **step on** *in a quote* | past · do-support | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Initial\_Location what=Theme |
| 3 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | Grandad |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 4 | **break** | present | teacher | a rule |  |  |  |  | vn hurt-40.8.3-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer rule=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:* What's the best reply?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:6-prepositions-and-conjunctions:t4:2
# text = What's the best reply?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	best	good	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	5	amod	_	_
5	reply	reply	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

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

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ending with a preposition is natural English; the rule is a myth

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:6-prepositions-and-conjunctions:t4:o1:1
# text = Ending with a preposition is natural English; the rule is a myth
1	Ending	end	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	csubj	_	_
2	with	with	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	preposition	preposition	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	natural	natural	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	English	English	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	13	punct	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	rule	rule	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nsubj	_	_
11	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	myth	myth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **end** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | with a preposition | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V NP.eventuality PP.subeventuality»: agent=Affector with preposition=Subeventuality |
| 2 | **is a** | present | Ending | natural English and a myth |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **is a** | present | the rule | a myth |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is fine only in America

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:6-prepositions-and-conjunctions:t4:o2:1
# text = It is fine only in America
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	expl	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	fine	fine	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	only	only	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	America	America	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present |  |  |  | America |  | fine *property* | tree rules |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is fine only if you whisper it

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:6-prepositions-and-conjunctions:t4:o3:1
# text = It is fine only if you whisper it
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	expl	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	fine	fine	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	only	only	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
5	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
6	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	whisper	whisper	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | fine *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **whisper** *speech: assert* *a condition, not said to happen* | present | you | it |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Topic |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grandad is right, it must be "On what did you step?" in every case

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:6-prepositions-and-conjunctions:t4:o4:1
# text = Grandad is right, it must be "On what did you step?" in every case
1	Grandad	Grandad	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	right	right	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
5	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
6	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	13	aux	_	_
7	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	13	cop	_	_
8	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	On	on	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
10	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	13	obj	_	_
11	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	13	aux	_	_
12	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
13	step	step	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
16	in	in	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	18	det	_	_
18	case	case	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Grandad |  |  | every case |  | right *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** *in a quote* | must · do-support | it |  |  |  |  | step *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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- ← previous: [Prepositions and conjunctions: little…, test 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/language/6-prepositions-and-conjunctions/t3/)
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- ↑ back to [Prepositions and conjunctions: little words that hold sentences together](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/language/6-prepositions-and-conjunctions/)