---
title: Ewan's teacher says, "Sorry with a 'but' is half a sorry." What woul… — Owning up: the broken vase and the los… · tree and pragmatics
description: Ewan's teacher says, "Sorry with a 'but' is half a sorry." What would be better? Test 6 · ★ of lesson 89 «Owning up: the broken vase and the lost library book» 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 c
---

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# Test 6 · ★ · Owning up: the broken vase and the lost library book

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ewan's teacher says, "Sorry with a 'but' is half a sorry." What would be better?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** teacher · **What happens:** say, be · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 6 · ★ of lesson 89 «Owning up: the broken vase and the lost library book» 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/89-owning-up-the-broken-vase-and-the-lost-library-book/#t6).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Ewan's teacher says, "Sorry with a 'but' is half a sorry."

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:89-owning-up-the-broken-vase-and-the-lost-library-book:t6:1
# text = Ewan's teacher says, "Sorry with a 'but' is half a sorry."
1	Ewan	Ewan	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	's	PART	POS	_	1	case	_	_
3	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	Sorry	sorry	INTJ	UH	_	4	ccomp	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
10	'	'	PUNCT	``	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	'	'	PUNCT	''	_	11	punct	_	_
13	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	16	cop	_	_
14	half	half	DET	PDT	NumForm=Word|NumType=Frac|PronType=Ind	16	det:predet	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	sorry	sorry	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | Ewan's teacher |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** *in a quote* | present |  |  |  |  |  | with a sorry | 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 would be better?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:89-owning-up-the-broken-vase-and-the-lost-library-book:t6:2
# text = What would be better?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	4	obl	_	_
2	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	cop	_	_
4	better	good	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | would |  |  |  |  |  | good *property* | tree rules |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It wasn't me, it was the cup

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:89-owning-up-the-broken-vase-and-the-lost-library-book:t6:o1:1
# text = It wasn't me, it was the cup
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
7	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	cup	cup	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	parataxis	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **is a** | past | It | me |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is a** | past | it | the cup |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I spilled it, but the cup was far too close to the edge

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:89-owning-up-the-broken-vase-and-the-lost-library-book:t6:o2:1
# text = I spilled it, but the cup was far too close to the edge
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	spilled	spill	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
5	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	cup	cup	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
8	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
9	far	far	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	11	advmod	_	_
10	too	too	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
11	close	close	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	conj	_	_
12	to	to	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	edge	edge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **spill** | past | I | it |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location it=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | past | the cup |  |  |  |  | to the edge; close, far *property* | tree rules |

### Option 3 · ✓ the right answer {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I spilled it, I'm sorry, how can I help fix it?

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:89-owning-up-the-broken-vase-and-the-lost-library-book:t6:o3:1
# text = I spilled it, I'm sorry, how can I help fix it?
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	spilled	spill	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
5	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	'm	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	sorry	sorry	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
9	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	12	advmod	_	_
10	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	12	aux	_	_
11	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
12	help	help	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	conj	_	_
13	fix	fix	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	xcomp	_	_
14	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **spill** | past | I | it |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location it=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | present | I |  |  |  |  | sorry *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **help** | can | I |  |  |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 4 | **fix** | infinitive | I *not said here* | it |  |  |  |  | vn shake-22.3-2 «NP V NP together»: agent=Agent it=Patient |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Sorry, but laptops shouldn't be on tables

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:89-owning-up-the-broken-vase-and-the-lost-library-book:t6:o4:1
# text = Sorry, but laptops shouldn't be on tables
1	Sorry	sorry	INTJ	UH	_	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
4	laptops	laptop	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nsubj	_	_
5	should	should	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	9	advmod	_	_
7	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	cop	_	_
8	on	on	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	tables	table	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **is** | should | laptops |  |  | tables |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- 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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- ← previous: [Owning up: the broken vase and the los…, test 5](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/89-owning-up-the-broken-vase-and-the-lost-library-book/t5/)
- next →: [Owning up: the broken vase and the los…, test 7](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/89-owning-up-the-broken-vase-and-the-lost-library-book/t7/)
- ↑ back to [Owning up: the broken vase and the lost library book](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/89-owning-up-the-broken-vase-and-the-lost-library-book/)