---
title: Your mate says, "Lying's fine as long as it's only once." What's the… — Why honesty matters: trust holds every… · tree and pragmatics
description: Your mate says, "Lying's fine as long as it's only once." What's the best answer? Test 1 of lesson 81 «Why honesty matters: trust holds everything together» 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 choi
---

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# Test 1 · Why honesty matters: trust holds everything together

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Your mate says, "Lying's fine as long as it's only once." What's the best answer?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 4 · **The right answer:** option 4 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** mate, Lying, best answer · **What happens:** say, be · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 1 of lesson 81 «Why honesty matters: trust holds everything together» 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/81-why-honesty-matters-trust-holds-everything-together/#t1).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Your mate says, "Lying's fine as long as it's only once."

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:81-why-honesty-matters-trust-holds-everything-together:t1:1
# text = Your mate says, "Lying's fine as long as it's only once."
1	Your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	mate	mate	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	,	_	8	punct	_	_
5	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	Lying	lying	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
8	fine	fine	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	ccomp	_	_
9	as	as	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
10	long	long	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	8	advmod	_	_
11	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	15	mark	_	_
12	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	15	cop	_	_
14	only	only	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
15	once	once	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Mult	10	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | Your mate |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** *in a quote* | present | Lying |  |  |  |  | fine, long *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **is** *in a quote* | present | Lying |  |  |  |  | once *property* | tree rules |

<!-- .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 answer?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:81-why-honesty-matters-trust-holds-everything-together:t1:2
# text = What's the best answer?
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	5	det	_	_
4	best	good	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	5	amod	_	_
5	answer	answer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

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

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
One lie is fine, but two lies is when it becomes a problem

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:81-why-honesty-matters-trust-holds-everything-together:t1:o1:1
# text = One lie is fine, but two lies is when it becomes a problem
1	One	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	2	nummod	_	_
2	lie	lie	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	fine	fine	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
6	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
7	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	8	nummod	_	_
8	lies	lie	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	nsubj	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
10	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	12	mark	_	_
11	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
12	becomes	become	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	problem	problem	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | One lie |  |  |  |  | fine *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present | two lies | a problem |  |  |  | become *property* | tree rules |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Lying is only a problem if you get caught by a teacher

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:81-why-honesty-matters-trust-holds-everything-together:t1:o2:1
# text = Lying is only a problem if you get caught by a teacher
1	Lying	lie	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	only	only	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	problem	problem	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
7	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj:pass	_	_
8	get	get	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux:pass	_	_
9	caught	catch	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	advcl	_	_
10	by	by	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lie** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is a** | present |  | a problem |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **catch** *a condition, not said to happen* | present · passive | a teacher | you |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent subject=Theme |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He's right, people always forget a single lie straight away

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:81-why-honesty-matters-trust-holds-everything-together:t1:o3:1
# text = He's right, people always forget a single lie straight away
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	right	right	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
5	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
6	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	7	advmod	_	_
7	forget	forget	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	single	single	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	lie	lie	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
11	straight	straight	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
12	away	away	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | He |  |  |  |  | right *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **forget** | present | people | a single lie |  |  |  | always, away *property* | tree rules |

### Option 4 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
One big lie can spend all the trust, and then even your true words get doubted

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:81-why-honesty-matters-trust-holds-everything-together:t1:o4:1
# text = One big lie can spend all the trust, and then even your true words get doubted
1	One	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	3	nummod	_	_
2	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	lie	lie	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	spend	spend	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	all	all	DET	PDT	PronType=Tot	8	det:predet	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	trust	trust	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
11	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	17	advmod	_	_
12	even	even	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
13	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	15	nmod:poss	_	_
14	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	17	nsubj:pass	_	_
16	get	get	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	17	aux:pass	_	_
17	doubted	doubt	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	advcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **spend** | can | One big lie | all trust |  |  |  |  | vn consume-66-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent trust=Asset |
| 2 | **doubt** | present · passive |  | your true words |  |  | then |  | vn judgment-33.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |
| 3 | **word** |  | your |  |  |  |  |  | nom word «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

<!-- div src -->

**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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- ↑ back to [Why honesty matters: trust holds everything together](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/81-why-honesty-matters-trust-holds-everything-together/)