---
title: "Ma, I'm fixin' to do it!" An hour later Bubba's still on his tablet… — Pretend, cover stories and lies that b… · tree and pragmatics
description: "Ma, I'm fixin' to do it!" An hour later Bubba's still on his tablet. What is the honest version? Test 2 · ★★ of lesson 85 «Pretend, cover stories and lies that become habits» of the religion ethics course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each 
---

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# Test 2 · ★★ · Pretend, cover stories and lies that become habits

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"Ma, I'm fixin' to do it!" An hour later Bubba's still on his tablet. What is the honest version?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** I, honest version · **What happens:** fixin, do, be · **To what, where:** it

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 2 · ★★ of lesson 85 «Pretend, cover stories and lies that become habits» 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/85-pretend-cover-stories-and-lies-that-become-habits/#t2).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* "Ma, I'm fixin' to do it!"

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:85-pretend-cover-stories-and-lies-that-become-habits:t2:1
# text = "Ma, I'm fixin' to do it!"
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Ma	ma	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	'm	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	fixin	fixin	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	'	'	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	xcomp	_	_
10	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fixin** *in a quote* | present · progressive | I |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **do** *in a quote* | to-infinitive | I *not said here* | it |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Eventuality |

<!-- .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:* An hour later Bubba's still on his tablet.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:85-pretend-cover-stories-and-lies-that-become-habits:t2:2
# text = An hour later Bubba's still on his tablet.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	hour	hour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl:unmarked	_	_
3	later	late	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	9	advmod	_	_
4	Bubba	Bubba	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	's	's	PART	POS	_	4	case	_	_
6	still	still	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
7	on	on	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	tablet	tablet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 3:* What is the honest version?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:85-pretend-cover-stories-and-lies-that-become-habits:t2:3
# text = What is the honest version?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	0	root	_	_
2	is	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	honest	honest	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	version	version	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 honest version |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I'm fixin' to do it right now, honest, Ma, I promise

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:85-pretend-cover-stories-and-lies-that-become-habits:t2:o1:1
# text = I'm fixin' to do it right now, honest, Ma, I promise
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	'm	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	fixin	fixin	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	'	'	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	right	right	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	now	now	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
11	honest	honest	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
13	Ma	Ma	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	11	vocative	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
15	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	16	nsubj	_	_
16	promise	promise	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	parataxis	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fixin** | present · progressive | I |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **do** | to-infinitive | I *not said here* | it |  |  | now |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Eventuality |
| 3 | **promise** *speech: promise* | present | I |  |  |  |  |  | vn promise-37.13 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I've already done it, Ma, so you can go and check it

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:85-pretend-cover-stories-and-lies-that-become-habits:t2:o2:1
# text = I've already done it, Ma, so you can go and check it
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	've	have	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	already	already	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	done	do	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
7	Ma	Ma	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
9	so	so	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
10	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
11	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	12	aux	_	_
12	go	go	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	parataxis	_	_
13	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	check	check	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	conj	_	_
15	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | present · perfect | I | it |  |  |  | Ma *obl* | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Eventuality |
| 2 | **go** | can | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **check** | infinitive | you *not said here* | it |  |  |  |  | vn assessment-34.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Theme |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I'm never doing it, Ma, because it's your room anyway

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:85-pretend-cover-stories-and-lies-that-become-habits:t2:o3:1
# text = I'm never doing it, Ma, because it's your room anyway
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	'm	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	doing	do	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
7	Ma	Ma	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
9	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
10	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
12	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	13	nmod:poss	_	_
13	room	room	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	advcl	_	_
14	anyway	anyway	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **do** | present · progressive | I | it |  |  |  | Ma *obl* | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Eventuality |
| 2 | **is a** | present | it | your room |  |  |  | anyway *property* | tree rules |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
After this game, Ma, and then I'll really do it

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:85-pretend-cover-stories-and-lies-that-become-habits:t2:o4:1
# text = After this game, Ma, and then I'll really do it
1	After	after	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	3	det	_	_
3	game	game	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
5	Ma	Ma	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	vocative	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
8	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	12	advmod	_	_
9	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	'll	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	12	aux	_	_
11	really	really	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
12	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
13	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | future | I | game |  |  | after this game; then |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Eventuality |

<!-- 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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