---
title: A clever one: Sam says, "My team is the best, and if they lose, it's… — The football argument that goes in cir… · tree and pragmatics
description: A clever one: Sam says, "My team is the best, and if they lose, it's because they weren't really trying, so they're still the best." Can any result ever prove Sam wrong? Test 11 · ★★★ of lesson 170 «The football argument that goes in circles» of the world course of Mova's primary school, with the de
---

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# Test 11 · ★★★ · The football argument that goes in circles

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A clever one: Sam says, "My team is the best, and if they lose, it's because they weren't really trying, so they're still the best." Can any result ever prove Sam wrong?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 2 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** Sam, team, they, clever one, result · **What happens:** say, be, lose, not try, prove · **To what, where:** clever one, Sam · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 11 · ★★★ of lesson 170 «The football argument that goes in circles» of the world 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/world/170-the-football-argument-that-goes-in-circles/#t11).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* A clever one: Sam says, "My team is the best, and if they lose, it's because they weren't really trying, so they're still the best."

```conllu
# sent_id = question:world:170-the-football-argument-that-goes-in-circles:t11:1
# text = A clever one: Sam says, "My team is the best, and if they lose, it's because they weren't really trying, so they're still the best."
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	clever	clever	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	one	one	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	34	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	6	punct	_	_
5	Sam	Sam	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
8	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
10	team	team	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nsubj	_	_
11	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	best	good	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	6	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	27	punct	_	_
15	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	27	cc	_	_
16	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	18	mark	_	_
17	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	18	nsubj	_	_
18	lose	lose	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	27	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
20	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	27	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	27	aux	_	_
22	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	27	mark	_	_
23	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	27	nsubj	_	_
24	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	27	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	27	advmod	_	_
26	really	really	ADV	RB	_	27	advmod	_	_
27	trying	try	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	13	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	34	punct	_	_
29	so	so	ADV	RB	_	34	advmod	_	_
30	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	34	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
31	're	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	34	cop	_	_
32	still	still	ADV	RB	_	34	advmod	_	_
33	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	34	det	_	_
34	best	good	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
35	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	34	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
36	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	34	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | Sam | a clever one *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent one=Topic |
| 2 | **is** *in a quote* | present | My team |  |  |  |  | good *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **lose** *a condition, not said to happen, in a quote* | present | they |  |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **not** **try** *in a quote* | present · progressive | team |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP-PRO-ARB»: agent=Stimulus |
| 5 | **is** *in a quote* | present | a clever one |  |  |  | still | good *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:* Can any result ever prove Sam wrong?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:world:170-the-football-argument-that-goes-in-circles:t11:2
# text = Can any result ever prove Sam wrong?
1	Can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
2	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	3	det	_	_
3	result	result	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	ever	ever	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	5	advmod	_	_
5	prove	prove	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	Sam	Sam	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
7	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **prove** | can | any result | Sam |  |  | ever | wrong *property* | vn deduce-97.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sam=Theme |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Yes, if they go on and lose three games

```conllu
# sent_id = question:world:170-the-football-argument-that-goes-in-circles:t11:o1:1
# text = Yes, if they go on and lose three games
1	Yes	yes	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Pos	5	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
4	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
5	go	go	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	on	on	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	lose	lose	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	conj	_	_
9	three	three	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	10	nummod	_	_
10	games	game	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go on** | present | they |  |  |  |  |  | vn function-105.2.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **lose** | infinitive | they *not said here* | three games |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent game=Eventuality |

### Option 2 · ✓ the right answer {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
No, so his claim tells us nothing

```conllu
# sent_id = question:world:170-the-football-argument-that-goes-in-circles:t11:o2:1
# text = No, so his claim tells us nothing
1	No	no	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Neg	6	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
3	so	so	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
4	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	claim	claim	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	tells	tell	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	6	iobj	_	_
8	nothing	nothing	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	6	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | present | his claim | nothing | us |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent we=Recipient nothing=Topic |
| 2 | **claim** |  | his *= he* |  |  |  |  |  | nom claim «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Yes, if the referee agrees with Sam's view

```conllu
# sent_id = question:world:170-the-football-argument-that-goes-in-circles:t11:o3:1
# text = Yes, if the referee agrees with Sam's view
1	Yes	yes	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Pos	6	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
3	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	referee	referee	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	agrees	agree	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	with	with	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	Sam	Sam	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	10	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	's	's	PART	POS	_	8	case	_	_
10	view	view	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **agree** *speech: agree* | present | the referee |  |  |  |  | with Sam's view | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V PP.co-agent how S»: agent=Agent with view=Co-Agent |
| 2 | **view** |  | Sam |  |  |  |  |  | nom view «cognition transitive»: poss=agent |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
No, because his team really is the best

```conllu
# sent_id = question:world:170-the-football-argument-that-goes-in-circles:t11:o4:1
# text = No, because his team really is the best
1	No	no	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Neg	9	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
3	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
4	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	team	team	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
6	really	really	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	best	good	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	0	root	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | his team |  |  |  |  | good *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 -->

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