---
title: oi u can't tell me off for being late, u were late last week. what i… — How to argue: reasons and evidence · tree and pragmatics
description: oi u can't tell me off for being late, u were late last week. what idea is this kid using? Test 6 · ★★ 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 and of each option; Mova's choice w
---

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# Test 6 · ★★ · How to argue: reasons and evidence

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
oi u can't tell me off for being late, u were late last week. what idea is this kid using?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** oi, u, idea · **What happens:** not tell off, be, use · **To what, where:** me, kid · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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This is test 6 · ★★ of lesson 39 «How to argue: reasons and evidence» of the religion ethics 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/religion-ethics/39-how-to-argue-reasons-and-evidence/#t6).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:39-how-to-argue-reasons-and-evidence:t6:1
# text = oi u can't tell me off for being late, u were late last week. what idea is this kid using?
1	oi	oi	X	FW	Foreign=Yes	5	nsubj	_	_
2	u	you	PRON	PRP	Abbr=Yes|Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
3	ca	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	5	advmod	_	_
5	tell	tell	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	5	iobj	_	_
7	off	off	ADP	RP	_	5	compound:prt	_	_
8	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
9	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	10	cop	_	_
10	late	late	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
12	u	you	PRON	PRP	Abbr=Yes|Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
13	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	14	cop	_	_
14	late	late	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	10	advmod	_	_
15	last	last	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	week	week	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
18	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	23	nsubj:outer	_	_
19	idea	idea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	nsubj	_	_
20	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	22	cop	_	_
21	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	22	det	_	_
22	kid	kid	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	acl:relcl	_	_
23	using	use	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	5	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **tell off** *speech: assert* | can | oi |  | me |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP what S»: agent=Agent i=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 2 | **is** | gerund | oi *not said here* |  |  |  |  | late *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **is** | past | u |  |  |  | week | late *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **is a** | present | idea | this kid |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 5 | **use** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: 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.

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A principle, because "do not harm the innocent" is about time

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:39-how-to-argue-reasons-and-evidence:t6:o1:1
# text = A principle, because "do not harm the innocent" is about time
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	principle	principle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
4	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
5	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
7	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	8	advmod	_	_
8	harm	harm	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	2	appos	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	innocent	innocent	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	8	punct	_	_
12	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	cop	_	_
13	about	about	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **harm** *in a quote* | infinitive · do-support |  | the innocent |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus innocent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **is** | present | a principle |  |  |  | about time |  | tree rules |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Evidence, because the facts prove that being late is never wrong

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:39-how-to-argue-reasons-and-evidence:t6:o2:1
# text = Evidence, because the facts prove that being late is never wrong
1	Evidence	evidence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
3	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	facts	fact	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
6	prove	prove	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	acl	_	_
7	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
8	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	9	cop	_	_
9	late	late	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	ccomp	_	_
10	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
11	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	12	advmod	_	_
12	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **prove** | present | the facts | Evidence *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn deduce-97.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent evidence=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | gerund | the facts *not said here* |  |  |  |  | late *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **not** **is** | present | Evidence |  |  |  |  | wrong *property* | tree rules |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Clarifying, because they are asking what the word late means

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:39-how-to-argue-reasons-and-evidence:t6:o3:1
# text = Clarifying, because they are asking what the word late means
1	Clarifying	clarify	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	11	csubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
3	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
4	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
5	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	asking	ask	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	1	conj	_	_
7	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	9	nsubj	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
10	late	late	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	9	advmod	_	_
11	means	mean	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 | **clarify** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **ask** *speech: ask* | present · progressive | they |  |  |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **word** |  |  |  |  |  |  | late *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **mean** | present | Clarifying |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Consistency, though being late before does not make lateness right

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:39-how-to-argue-reasons-and-evidence:t6:o4:1
# text = Consistency, though being late before does not make lateness right
1	Consistency	consistency	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	though	though	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
4	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	5	cop	_	_
5	late	late	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	9	advmod	_	_
6	before	before	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
7	does	do	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
8	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	9	advmod	_	_
9	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
10	lateness	lateness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
11	right	right	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | before, late *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **make** | present · do-support | Consistency | lateness |  |  |  | right *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset lateness=Product |

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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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- ← previous: [How to argue: reasons and evidence, test 5](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/39-how-to-argue-reasons-and-evidence/t5/)
- next →: [How to argue: reasons and evidence, test 7](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/39-how-to-argue-reasons-and-evidence/t7/)
- ↑ 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/)