---
title: Ben says, "I was such a jerk," about laughing at his mate's counsell… — Getting through it: who helps, what he… · tree and pragmatics
description: Ben says, "I was such a jerk," about laughing at his mate's counselling. What's the best next step? Test 9 · ★★★ of lesson 30 «Getting through it: who helps, what helps, and looking back» of the reflection course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and o
---

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# Test 9 · ★★★ · Getting through it: who helps, what helps, and looking back

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ben says, "I was such a jerk," about laughing at his mate's counselling. What's the best next step?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 2 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** Ben, jerk, mate, best next step · **What happens:** say, be, laugh, counsel · **To what, where:** jerk, counselling · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 9 · ★★★ of lesson 30 «Getting through it: who helps, what helps, and looking back» of the reflection 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/reflection/30-getting-through-it-who-helps-what-helps-and-looking-back/#t9).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Ben says, "I was such a jerk," about laughing at his mate's counselling.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:reflection:30-getting-through-it-who-helps-what-helps-and-looking-back:t9:1
# text = Ben says, "I was such a jerk," about laughing at his mate's counselling.
1	Ben	Ben	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
4	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
6	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
7	such	such	DET	PDT	PronType=Ind	9	det:predet	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	jerk	jerk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	9	punct	_	_
12	about	about	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
13	laughing	laugh	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	9	acl	_	_
14	at	at	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
15	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	16	nmod:poss	_	_
16	mate	mate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	's	's	PART	POS	_	16	case	_	_
18	counselling	counselling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | Ben |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is a** *in a quote* | past | Ben | such jerk |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **laugh** | gerund | such jerk *not said here* |  |  | Ben's mate's counselling |  |  | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **counsel** |  | Ben's mate |  |  |  |  |  | nom counselling «communication transitive»: poss=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:* What's the best next step?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:reflection:30-getting-through-it-who-helps-what-helps-and-looking-back:t9:2
# text = What's the best next step?
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	6	det	_	_
4	best	good	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	6	amod	_	_
5	next	next	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	step	step	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

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

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Pretend he never laughed at all

```conllu
# sent_id = question:reflection:30-getting-through-it-who-helps-what-helps-and-looking-back:t9:o1:1
# text = Pretend he never laughed at all
1	Pretend	pretend	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
3	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	laughed	laugh	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	1	parataxis	_	_
5	at	at	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	4	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pretend** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **laugh** | past | he |  |  | all |  |  | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

### Option 2 · ← Mova's choice {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Stop seeing the counsellor so nobody laughs

```conllu
# sent_id = question:reflection:30-getting-through-it-who-helps-what-helps-and-looking-back:t9:o2:1
# text = Stop seeing the counsellor so nobody laughs
1	Stop	stop	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	seeing	see	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	1	xcomp	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	counsellor	counsellor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	so	so	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
6	nobody	nobody	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	7	nsubj	_	_
7	laughs	laugh	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	advcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stop** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Affector clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **see** | gerund | you *not said here* | the counsellor |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer counsellor=Stimulus |
| 3 | **laugh** | present | nobody |  |  |  |  |  | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Laugh at someone else's problems instead so he feels better

```conllu
# sent_id = question:reflection:30-getting-through-it-who-helps-what-helps-and-looking-back:t9:o3:1
# text = Laugh at someone else's problems instead so he feels better
1	Laugh	laugh	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	at	at	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
3	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	6	nmod:poss	_	_
4	else	else	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	's	's	PART	POS	_	3	case	_	_
6	problems	problem	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obl	_	_
7	instead	instead	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	_
8	so	so	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
9	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	feels	feel	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	advcl	_	_
11	better	good	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	10	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **laugh** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  | someone's problems |  | instead *property* | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **feel** | present | he |  |  |  |  | good *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Say sorry to his friend and keep getting help

```conllu
# sent_id = question:reflection:30-getting-through-it-who-helps-what-helps-and-looking-back:t9:o4:1
# text = Say sorry to his friend and keep getting help
1	Say	say	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	sorry	sorry	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	xcomp	_	_
3	to	to	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	friend	friend	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	keep	keep	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	1	conj	_	_
8	getting	get	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	xcomp	_	_
9	help	help	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: apologize* | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | sorry *property* | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **keep** | infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **get** | gerund | you *not said here* | help |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer help=Stimulus |

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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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