---
title: It is asserted that "everybody knows" a certain proposition. Determi… — How would we know? Asking experts and… · tree and pragmatics
description: It is asserted that "everybody knows" a certain proposition. Determine the evidential value of such an assertion in itself. Exam question 4 of lesson 30 «How would we know? Asking experts and spotting tricks» of the myths course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of th
---

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# Exam question 4 · How would we know? Asking experts and spotting tricks

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is asserted that "everybody knows" a certain proposition. Determine the evidential value of such an assertion in itself.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** everybody, you · **What happens:** assert, know, determine, value · **To what, where:** It, certain proposition, evidential value, assertion

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 4 of lesson 30 «How would we know? Asking experts and spotting tricks» of the myths course of Mova's primary school, asked in stiff, formal language. 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/myths/30-how-would-we-know-asking-experts-and-spotting-tricks/#e4).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* It is asserted that "everybody knows" a certain proposition.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:myths:30-how-would-we-know-asking-experts-and-spotting-tricks:e4:1
# text = It is asserted that "everybody knows" a certain proposition.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	asserted	assert	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
5	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	everybody	everybody	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	7	nsubj	_	_
7	knows	know	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	11	punct	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	certain	certain	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	proposition	proposition	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **assert** | present · passive |  | It |  |  |  |  | vn reflexive\_appearance-48.1.2 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |
| 2 | **know** *in a quote* | present | everybody | a certain proposition |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Experiencer proposition=Stimulus |

<!-- .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:* Determine the evidential value of such an assertion in itself.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:myths:30-how-would-we-know-asking-experts-and-spotting-tricks:e4:2
# text = Determine the evidential value of such an assertion in itself.
1	Determine	determine	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	evidential	evidential	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	value	value	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	such	such	DET	PDT	PronType=Ind	8	det:predet	_	_
7	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	assertion	assertion	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	itself	itself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Emp|Reflex=Yes	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **determine** | imperative | you *not said here* | the evidential value of such assertion in assertion |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent value=Topic |
| 2 | **value** |  |  | such assertion in assertion |  |  |  |  | nom value «cognition transitive»: of=patient |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It renders the proposition legally binding

```conllu
# sent_id = question:myths:30-how-would-we-know-asking-experts-and-spotting-tricks:e4:o1:1
# text = It renders the proposition legally binding
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	renders	render	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	proposition	proposition	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	legally	legally	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	binding	bind	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **render** | present | It | the proposition |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent proposition=Theme |
| 2 | **bind** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | legally *property* | vn shake-22.3-2-1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Patient |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It constitutes conclusive proof of the proposition

```conllu
# sent_id = question:myths:30-how-would-we-know-asking-experts-and-spotting-tricks:e4:o2:1
# text = It constitutes conclusive proof of the proposition
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	constitutes	constitute	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	conclusive	conclusive	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	proof	proof	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	proposition	proposition	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **constitute** | present | It | conclusive proof of the proposition |  |  |  |  | vn comprise-107.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme proof=Pivot |
| 2 | **proof** |  |  | the proposition |  |  |  |  | nom proof «cognition transitive»: of=patient |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It constitutes no evidence of the proposition's truth

```conllu
# sent_id = question:myths:30-how-would-we-know-asking-experts-and-spotting-tricks:e4:o3:1
# text = It constitutes no evidence of the proposition's truth
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	constitutes	constitute	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	4	det	_	_
4	evidence	evidence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	proposition	proposition	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	's	's	PART	POS	_	7	case	_	_
9	truth	truth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **constitute** | present | It | no evidence of the proposition's truth |  |  |  |  | vn comprise-107.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme evidence=Pivot |
| 2 | **evidence** |  |  | the proposition's truth |  |  |  |  | nom evidence «cognition transitive»: of=patient |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It proves the proposition false

```conllu
# sent_id = question:myths:30-how-would-we-know-asking-experts-and-spotting-tricks:e4:o4:1
# text = It proves the proposition false
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	proves	prove	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	proposition	proposition	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	false	false	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **prove** | present | It | the proposition |  |  |  | false *property* | vn deduce-97.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent proposition=Theme |

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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.

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- ← previous: [How would we know? Asking experts and…, exam 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/myths/30-how-would-we-know-asking-experts-and-spotting-tricks/e3/)
- next →: [Friends who cling to a legend, test 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/myths/31-friends-who-cling-to-a-legend/t1/)
- ↑ back to [How would we know? Asking experts and spotting tricks](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/myths/30-how-would-we-know-asking-experts-and-spotting-tricks/)