---
title: A Scottish lifeguard: "He's 13 and wearing the wee armbands. So what… — "If... then..." and its traps · tree and pragmatics
description: A Scottish lifeguard: "He's 13 and wearing the wee armbands. So what? Being extra safe's not breaking a rule, aye?" Why is the lifeguard right? Test 9 · ★★ of lesson 184 «"If... then..." and its traps» of the world course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the quest
---

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# Test 9 · ★★ · "If... then..." and its traps

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A Scottish lifeguard: "He's 13 and wearing the wee armbands. So what? Being extra safe's not breaking a rule, aye?" Why is the lifeguard right?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** He, lifeguard · **What happens:** be, wear, not break · **To what, where:** 13, wee armbands, rule

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 9 · ★★ of lesson 184 «"If... then..." and its traps» 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/184-if-then-and-its-traps/#t9).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* A Scottish lifeguard: "He's 13 and wearing the wee armbands.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:world:184-if-then-and-its-traps:t9:1
# text = A Scottish lifeguard: "He's 13 and wearing the wee armbands.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	Scottish	Scottish	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	lifeguard	lifeguard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	8	punct	_	_
5	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
8	13	13	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	3	parataxis	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	wearing	wear	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	8	conj	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	wee	wee	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	armbands	armband	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** *in a quote* | present | He | 13 |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **wear** *in a quote* | gerund | He *not said here* | the wee armbands |  |  |  |  | vn wipe\_manner-10.4.1-1 «NP V NP.source»: agent=Agent armband=Source |

<!-- .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:* So what?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:world:184-if-then-and-its-traps:t9:2
# text = So what?
1	So	so	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
2	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

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

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 3:* Being extra safe's not breaking a rule, aye?"

```conllu
# sent_id = question:world:184-if-then-and-its-traps:t9:3
# text = Being extra safe's not breaking a rule, aye?"
1	Being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	cop	_	_
2	extra	extra	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	safe	safe	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	csubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
5	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	6	advmod	_	_
6	breaking	break	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	rule	rule	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
10	aye	aye	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	conj	_	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 | **is** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | safe *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **break** | present · progressive |  | a rule and aye |  |  |  |  | vn hurt-40.8.3-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer rule=Patient |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 4:* Why is the lifeguard right?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:world:184-if-then-and-its-traps:t9:4
# text = Why is the lifeguard right?
1	Why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	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	4	det	_	_
4	lifeguard	lifeguard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nsubj	_	_
5	right	right	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

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

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The rule only says what under-12s must do

```conllu
# sent_id = question:world:184-if-then-and-its-traps:t9:o1:1
# text = The rule only says what under-12s must do
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	rule	rule	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	only	only	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	10	obj	_	_
6	under	under	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	12s	12	NOUN	NNS	Number=Ptan|NumForm=Combi|NumType=Card	10	obl	_	_
9	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
10	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	ccomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | the rule |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **do** | must |  |  |  | 12s |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent what=Eventuality |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Armbands are banned for everyone over 12

```conllu
# sent_id = question:world:184-if-then-and-its-traps:t9:o2:1
# text = Armbands are banned for everyone over 12
1	Armbands	armband	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	banned	ban	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	for	for	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	everyone	everyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	3	obl	_	_
6	over	over	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	12	12	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	3	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ban** | present · passive |  | Armbands |  |  |  | for everyone; 12 *obl* | vn forbid-64.4-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The rule says over-12s must wear them

```conllu
# sent_id = question:world:184-if-then-and-its-traps:t9:o3:1
# text = The rule says over-12s must wear them
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	rule	rule	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	over-12s	over-12	NOUN	NNS	Number=Ptan|NumForm=Combi|NumType=Card	6	nsubj	_	_
5	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	wear	wear	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	ccomp	_	_
7	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | the rule |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **wear** | must | over-12s | them *= they* |  |  |  |  | vn wipe\_manner-10.4.1-1 «NP V NP.source»: agent=Agent they=Source |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Only lifeguards may decide about armbands

```conllu
# sent_id = question:world:184-if-then-and-its-traps:t9:o4:1
# text = Only lifeguards may decide about armbands
1	Only	only	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
2	lifeguards	lifeguard	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
3	may	may	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	decide	decide	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	about	about	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	armbands	armband	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **decide** | may | lifeguards |  |  |  |  | about armbands | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V PP.theme S»: agent=Agent about armband=Topic |

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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.

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