---
title: «my dad said planes fly coz the air on top has to race to meet the a… — Why planes fly · tree and pragmatics
description: «my dad said planes fly coz the air on top has to race to meet the air underneath» What is a better explanation? Test 1 · ★ of lesson 22 «Why planes fly» of the technology course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option; Mova's choice was w
---

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# Test 1 · ★ · Why planes fly

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«my dad said planes fly coz the air on top has to race to meet the air underneath» What is a better explanation?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 3 · **The right answer:** option 1 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** dad, planes · **What happens:** say, fly, have, race, meet, be · **To what, where:** top, air, better explanation · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 1 · ★ of lesson 22 «Why planes fly» of the technology 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/technology/22-why-planes-fly/#t1).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:technology:22-why-planes-fly:t1:1
# text = «my dad said planes fly coz the air on top has to race to meet the air underneath» What is a better explanation?
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
3	dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	planes	plane	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
6	fly	fly	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	ccomp	_	_
7	coz	because	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	air	air	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
10	on	on	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	top	top	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	_
12	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	parataxis	_	_
13	to	to	PART	TO	_	14	mark	_	_
14	race	race	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	xcomp	_	_
15	to	to	PART	TO	_	16	mark	_	_
16	meet	meet	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	14	xcomp	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	air	air	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obj	_	_
19	underneath	underneath	ADV	RB	_	18	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	12	punct	_	_
21	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	25	nsubj	_	_
22	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	25	cop	_	_
23	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	25	det	_	_
24	better	good	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	25	amod	_	_
25	explanation	explanation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* *in a quote* | past | my dad |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **fly** *in a quote* | present | planes |  |  |  |  | because the air | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **have** *in a quote* | present |  |  |  | top |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **race** *in a quote* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 5 | **meet** *in a quote* | to-infinitive |  | the air |  |  |  |  | vn meet-36.3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent air=Co-Agent |
| 6 | **is a** | present |  | a better explanation |  |  |  |  | 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.

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The tilted wing pushes air down, and the air pushes the wing up

```conllu
# sent_id = question:technology:22-why-planes-fly:t1:o1:1
# text = The tilted wing pushes air down, and the air pushes the wing up
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	tilted	tilt	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	amod	_	_
3	wing	wing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	pushes	push	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	air	air	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
6	down	down	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	air	air	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
11	pushes	push	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	wing	wing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	_
14	up	up	ADP	RP	_	11	compound:prt	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tilt** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **push down** | present | the tilted wing | air |  |  |  | down *property* | vn carry-11.4-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent air=Theme |
| 3 | **push up** | present | the air | the wing |  |  |  |  | vn carry-11.4-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent wing=Theme |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Planes fly because the engines point upwards

```conllu
# sent_id = question:technology:22-why-planes-fly:t1:o2:1
# text = Planes fly because the engines point upwards
1	Planes	plane	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	fly	fly	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	engines	engine	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
6	point	point	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	_
7	upwards	upwards	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fly** | present | Planes |  |  |  |  |  | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **point** | present | the engines |  |  |  |  | upwards *property* | vn wink-40.3.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

### Option 3 · ← Mova's choice {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Your dad is right, the air on top must race to meet the air underneath at the back

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:technology:22-why-planes-fly:t1:o3:1
# text = Your dad is right, the air on top must race to meet the air underneath at the back
1	Your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	right	right	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	air	air	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
8	on	on	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	top	top	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	_
10	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
11	race	race	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	conj	_	_
12	to	to	PART	TO	_	13	mark	_	_
13	meet	meet	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	xcomp	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	air	air	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obj	_	_
16	underneath	underneath	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
17	at	at	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	back	back	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Your dad |  |  |  |  | right *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **race** | must | the air on top |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **meet** | to-infinitive | the air on top *not said here* | the air |  | the back |  | underneath *property* | vn meet-36.3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent air=Co-Agent |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Planes fly because they are lighter than air

```conllu
# sent_id = question:technology:22-why-planes-fly:t1:o4:1
# text = Planes fly because they are lighter than air
1	Planes	plane	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	fly	fly	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
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	cop	_	_
6	lighter	light	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	2	advcl	_	_
7	than	than	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	air	air	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fly** | present | Planes |  |  |  |  |  | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | present | Planes *= plane* |  |  |  |  | than air; light *property* | tree rules |

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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 -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [Trains and the Underground, exam 4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/technology/21-trains-and-the-underground/e4/)
- next →: [Why planes fly, test 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/technology/22-why-planes-fly/t2/)
- ↑ back to [Why planes fly](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/technology/22-why-planes-fly/)