---
title: Mum says "My doctor says I can't have more children, but we'll see."… — Abraham, Isaac and Jacob · tree and pragmatics
description: Mum says "My doctor says I can't have more children, but we'll see." A gran says, "Sarah's story says nothing is too hard for God." What did Sarah do first? Test 9 · ★★ of lesson 4 «Abraham, Isaac and Jacob» of the religion ethics course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmat
---

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# Test 9 · ★★ · Abraham, Isaac and Jacob

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mum says "My doctor says I can't have more children, but we'll see." A gran says, "Sarah's story says nothing is too hard for God." What did Sarah do first?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** Mum, doctor, we, gran, story, nothing · **What happens:** say, not have, see, be, do · **To what, where:** more children · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 9 · ★★ of lesson 4 «Abraham, Isaac and Jacob» 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/4-abraham-isaac-and-jacob/#t9).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Mum says "My doctor says I can't have more children, but we'll see."

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:4-abraham-isaac-and-jacob:t9:1
# text = Mum says "My doctor says I can't have more children, but we'll see."
1	Mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	doctor	doctor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	ccomp	_	_
7	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
8	ca	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	10	advmod	_	_
10	have	have	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	ccomp	_	_
11	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	12	amod	_	_
12	children	child	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
14	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
15	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	17	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	'll	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	17	aux	_	_
17	see	see	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	17	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	17	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | Mum |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* *in a quote* | present | My doctor |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **not** **have** *in a quote* | can | Mum | more children |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent child=Patient |
| 4 | **see** *in a quote* | future | we |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |

<!-- .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:* A gran says, "Sarah's story says nothing is too hard for God."

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:4-abraham-isaac-and-jacob:t9:2
# text = A gran says, "Sarah's story says nothing is too hard for God."
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	gran	gran	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
5	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	Sarah	Sarah	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	's	's	PART	POS	_	6	case	_	_
8	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
9	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
10	nothing	nothing	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	13	nsubj	_	_
11	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
12	too	too	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
13	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	ccomp	_	_
14	for	for	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	God	God	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	13	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | a gran |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* *in a quote* | present | Sarah's story |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **is** *in a quote* | present | nothing |  |  |  |  | for God; hard *property* | tree rules |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 3:* What did Sarah do first?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:4-abraham-isaac-and-jacob:t9:3
# text = What did Sarah do first?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	4	obj	_	_
2	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	Sarah	Sarah	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	first	first	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	4	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | past · do-support | Sarah |  |  |  |  | first *property* | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent what=Eventuality |

## The options {#options}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She laughed in doubt, then her son Isaac was born

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:4-abraham-isaac-and-jacob:t9:o1:1
# text = She laughed in doubt, then her son Isaac was born
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	laughed	laugh	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	doubt	doubt	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
6	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	11	advmod	_	_
7	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	son	son	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj:pass	_	_
9	Isaac	Isaac	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	appos	_	_
10	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux:pass	_	_
11	born	bear	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **laugh** | past | She |  |  |  |  | in doubt | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent in doubt=Theme |
| 2 | **bear** | past · passive |  | her son |  |  | then |  | vn birth-28.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She counted the stars every night

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:4-abraham-isaac-and-jacob:t9:o2:1
# text = She counted the stars every night
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	counted	count	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	stars	star	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	6	det	_	_
6	night	night	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl:unmarked	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **count** | past | She | the stars |  |  | night |  | vn multiply-108 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent star=Theme |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She refused to believe it and left Abraham to live on her own

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:4-abraham-isaac-and-jacob:t9:o3:1
# text = She refused to believe it and left Abraham to live on her own
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	refused	refuse	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	believe	believe	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
5	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	obj	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	left	leave	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
8	Abraham	Abraham	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	live	live	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	xcomp	_	_
11	on	on	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	13	nmod:poss	_	_
13	own	own	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **refuse** | past | She |  |  |  |  |  | vn reject-77.2 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 2 | **not** **believe** | to-infinitive | She *not said here* | it |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer it=Stimulus |
| 3 | **leave** | past | She *not said here* | Abraham |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **live** | to-infinitive | Abraham *not said here* |  |  | Abraham's own |  |  | vn exist-47.1-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme on own=Location |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She asked the strangers for medicine

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:4-abraham-isaac-and-jacob:t9:o4:1
# text = She asked the strangers for medicine
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	asked	ask	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	strangers	stranger	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	medicine	medicine	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ask** *speech: ask* | past | She | the strangers |  |  |  | for medicine | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent stranger=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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