---
title: Whereas a respondent asserts that the matter "depends", ascertain th… — How to argue: reasons and evidence · tree and pragmatics
description: Whereas a respondent asserts that the matter "depends", ascertain the manner in which such an assertion is properly made. Exam question 4 of lesson 39 «How to argue: reasons and evidence» of the religion ethics course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question 
---

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# Exam question 4 · How to argue: reasons and evidence

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Whereas a respondent asserts that the matter "depends", ascertain the manner in which such an assertion is properly made.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** respondent, matter, you · **What happens:** assert, depend, ascertain, make · **To what, where:** matter, manner, assertion

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 4 of lesson 39 «How to argue: reasons and evidence» of the religion ethics 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/religion-ethics/39-how-to-argue-reasons-and-evidence/#e4).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:39-how-to-argue-reasons-and-evidence:e4:1
# text = Whereas a respondent asserts that the matter "depends", ascertain the manner in which such an assertion is properly made.
1	Whereas	whereas	SCONJ	IN	_	4	mark	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	respondent	respondent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	asserts	assert	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	advcl	_	_
5	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	matter	matter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
8	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	depends	depend	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
12	ascertain	ascertain	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	manner	manner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	_
15	in	in	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
16	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	22	obl	_	_
17	such	such	DET	PDT	PronType=Ind	19	det:predet	_	_
18	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	assertion	assertion	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	nsubj:pass	_	_
20	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	22	aux:pass	_	_
21	properly	properly	ADV	RB	_	22	advmod	_	_
22	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	14	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	12	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **assert** | present | a respondent | the matter |  |  |  |  | vn reflexive\_appearance-48.1.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent matter=Theme |
| 2 | **depend** *in a quote* | present | the matter *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn rely-70 «NP V PP.theme S\_ING»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **ascertain** | imperative | you *not said here* | the manner |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent manner=Topic |
| 4 | **make** | present · passive |  | such assertion |  | the manner |  | properly *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: subject=Product |

<!-- .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.

## The options {#options}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
By stating the principal factors upon which the matter depends

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:39-how-to-argue-reasons-and-evidence:e4:o1:1
# text = By stating the principal factors upon which the matter depends
1	By	by	SCONJ	IN	_	2	mark	_	_
2	stating	state	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	10	advcl	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	principal	principal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	factors	factor	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
6	upon	upon	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	9	obl	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	matter	matter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
10	depends	depend	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **state** *speech: other* | gerund |  | the principal factors  the matter |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent factor=Topic |
| 2 | **depend** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn rely-70 «NP V PP.theme S\_ING»: agent=Agent |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
By asserting that every possible answer is equally correct and equally good

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:39-how-to-argue-reasons-and-evidence:e4:o2:1
# text = By asserting that every possible answer is equally correct and equally good
1	By	by	SCONJ	IN	_	2	mark	_	_
2	asserting	assert	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
3	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
4	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	6	det	_	_
5	possible	possible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	answer	answer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
8	equally	equally	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	correct	correct	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	ccomp	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
11	equally	equally	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
12	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **assert** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn conjecture-29.5 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | present | every possible answer |  |  |  |  | correct, equally *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **be** |  | every possible answer *not said here* |  |  |  |  | equally *property* | tree rules |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
By deferring the question indefinitely to a later occasion

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:39-how-to-argue-reasons-and-evidence:e4:o3:1
# text = By deferring the question indefinitely to a later occasion
1	By	by	SCONJ	IN	_	2	mark	_	_
2	deferring	defer	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	question	question	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	indefinitely	indefinitely	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
6	to	to	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	later	late	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	9	amod	_	_
9	occasion	occasion	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **defer** | gerund |  | the question |  |  |  | to a later occasion; indefinitely *property* | vn delay-53.3-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent question=Source |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
By declining to furnish any further explanation whatsoever

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:39-how-to-argue-reasons-and-evidence:e4:o4:1
# text = By declining to furnish any further explanation whatsoever
1	By	by	SCONJ	IN	_	2	mark	_	_
2	declining	decline	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	furnish	furnish	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
5	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	7	det	_	_
6	further	further	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	explanation	explanation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
8	whatsoever	whatsoever	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **decline** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn reject-77.2 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 2 | **not** **furnish** | to-infinitive |  | any further explanation |  |  |  | whatsoever *property* | vn fulfilling-13.4.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent explanation=Recipient |

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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 to argue: reasons and evidence, exam 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/39-how-to-argue-reasons-and-evidence/e3/)
- next →: [How to argue: counter-arguments and re…, test 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/40-how-to-argue-counter-arguments-and-respect/t1/)
- ↑ back to [How to argue: reasons and evidence](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/39-how-to-argue-reasons-and-evidence/)