--- title: Chores and broken things — a lesson of Mova's school · trees and pragmatics description: «Chores and broken things», a lesson of the everyday course of Mova's primary school, sentence by sentence with dependency trees and pragmatics. It begins: A home runs well when everyone shares the work: each thing has its own place, jobs are done a little at a time, and they are done properly rathe --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/111-chores-and-broken-things/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [school](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/) / [Everyday](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/) / Chores and broken things # Chores and broken things Lesson 111 of the everyday course of Mova's primary school: 23 sentences, each with its syntax tree and pragmatics. The lessons are written for Mova, and their agreed trees are part of Mova corpus 0.4 (CC BY-SA 4.0). How Mova does on its tests: [the lesson at school](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/school-run/everyday/111-chores-and-broken-things/). - [0](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/111-chores-and-broken-things/0/) — A home runs well when everyone shares the work: each thing has its own place, jobs are done a little at a time, and they are done properly rather than quickly and badly. - [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/111-chores-and-broken-things/2/) — When something breaks, the real danger is the broken pieces, not bad luck: tiny glass slivers fly far and cut bare feet, so you stop, keep others away and tell a grown-up. - [3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/111-chores-and-broken-things/3/) — For example, a boy in Ohio drops a glass: he stands still, tells his little sister and the dog to stay out, puts shoes on and calls his dad before anyone walks through the kitchen. - [4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/111-chores-and-broken-things/4/) — And if you break something by accident, telling the truth at once and saying sorry is always better than hiding it. - [5](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/111-chores-and-broken-things/5/) — Having a place for each thing and tidying a little every day makes things quick to find and stops people tripping. - [6](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/111-chores-and-broken-things/6/) — Carrying a few plates at a time is safer than carrying a big pile that can slip and break. - [7](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/111-chores-and-broken-things/7/) — Before stacking plates, scrape the leftovers into the bin or the food caddy, a small bin just for food scraps. - [8](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/111-chores-and-broken-things/8/) — Dishes should be dried with a clean dry towel, because dishes put away wet can go mouldy. - [9](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/111-chores-and-broken-things/9/) — Before vacuuming, pick up small things, socks and cords, and keep the vacuum away from hair and pets' tails. - [10](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/111-chores-and-broken-things/10/) — A pet needs the right amount of food at the same time each day and fresh water, because it depends on you. - [11](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/111-chores-and-broken-things/11/) — A houseplant should be watered when its soil feels dry, because too much water rots the roots. - [12](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/111-chores-and-broken-things/12/) — In a family everyone shares the work, so you pause a game to help when you are asked. - [13](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/111-chores-and-broken-things/13/) — Money for chores is earned by doing the job well, not by doing it fast and badly. - [14](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/111-chores-and-broken-things/14/) — After breaking glass, stand still, keep people and pets away, put shoes on and tell a grown-up. - [15](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/111-chores-and-broken-things/15/) — Glass is picked up with a dustpan and brush and a damp paper towel for tiny pieces, never bare fingers, and wrapped in paper before the bin. - [16](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/111-chores-and-broken-things/16/) — A cracked or chipped glass or mug should not be used, because it can break in your hand or leave glass in a drink. - [17](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/111-chores-and-broken-things/17/) — Breaking a mirror does not bring seven years of bad luck; that is a superstition, and the only danger is the glass. - [18](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/111-chores-and-broken-things/18/) — Old glass thermometers may contain mercury, which is poisonous, so a grown-up must clean up a broken one. - [19](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/111-chores-and-broken-things/19/) — A boy in Leeds picked up a broken glass with his bare hands; he cut his palm and needed stitches. - [20](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/111-chores-and-broken-things/20/) — A girl in Ohio broke her mum's vase and hid the pieces under her bed; she later cut her foot on a sharp piece she had forgotten. - [21](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/111-chores-and-broken-things/21/) — Broken glass and china pieces are sharp and can be hidden in carpets or under furniture for days. - [22](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/111-chores-and-broken-things/22/) — Telling an adult about something broken means it can be cleaned up safely. - [23](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/111-chores-and-broken-things/23/) — Never mix bleach with other cleaners, because together they can make a poisonous gas. - ← previous: [Windows, balconies and furniture](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/110-windows-balconies-and-furniture/) - next →: [Sharp things, small objects and little ones](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/112-sharp-things-and-little-ones/) - ↑ back to [Everyday](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/)