--- title: «Just hit him back» or «tell a teacher»? What the grown-ups say — a lesson of Mova's school · trees and pragmatics description: ««Just hit him back» or «tell a teacher»? What the grown-ups say», a lesson of the everyday course of Mova's primary school, sentence by sentence with dependency trees and pragmatics. It begins: When the Station Road boys kept knocking Sam's bag off his shoulder, every grown-up in his life gave him --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/391-just-hit-him-back-or-tell-a-teacher/) [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/) / «Just hit him back» or «tell a teacher… # «Just hit him back» or «tell a teacher»? What the grown-ups say Lesson 391 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/391-just-hit-him-back-or-tell-a-teacher/). - [0](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/391-just-hit-him-back-or-tell-a-teacher/0/) — When the Station Road boys kept knocking Sam's bag off his shoulder, every grown-up in his life gave him a different rule. - [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/391-just-hit-him-back-or-tell-a-teacher/1/) — Grandad said «just hit him back, lad, that's what I did in '72». - [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/391-just-hit-him-back-or-tell-a-teacher/2/) — Sam's teacher said «tell me and I'll sort it». - [4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/391-just-hit-him-back-or-tell-a-teacher/4/) — Jake's dad told him «stand up for yourself with your fists», and Kieran's uncle said «if you don't hit back you'll be a target forever». - [5](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/391-just-hit-him-back-or-tell-a-teacher/5/) — Jake tried it and got a black eye, a detention and a letter home — and the boy he hit came back the next week with his big brother. - [7](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/391-just-hit-him-back-or-tell-a-teacher/7/) — Then Mr Pryce, the head teacher, told Jake: «when you want to hit, come and tell me instead.» The first time Jake did it, he stood in the office doorway with his fists still clenched, and Mr Pryce sorted the problem before lunch. - [8](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/391-just-hit-him-back-or-tell-a-teacher/8/) — The girls got muddled rules too. - [9](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/391-just-hit-him-back-or-tell-a-teacher/9/) — After Connor punched Maddie's nose, her dad, still angry, said «next time, you hit him first». - [11](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/391-just-hit-him-back-or-tell-a-teacher/11/) — Lily's dad said «you're a girl, you should never hit» — as if boys should — and Lily's gran said «ignore them and they'll stop», but the ponytail tugging did not stop, because ignoring only works when the other person is bored, not when they are enjoying it. - [12](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/391-just-hit-him-back-or-tell-a-teacher/12/) — Grown-ups give these rules out of love and from their own childhood, and some are half right. - [13](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/391-just-hit-him-back-or-tell-a-teacher/13/) — But hitting back usually makes a fight bigger and longer, and hitting first is just starting a fight. - [14](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/391-just-hit-him-back-or-tell-a-teacher/14/) — Telling a trusted adult — and telling again, or another adult, if the first one does nothing — is the rule that works best, for boys and girls alike. - [15](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/391-just-hit-him-back-or-tell-a-teacher/15/) — Sam told Grandad that, and Grandad, after a long sip of tea, said: «Well. - [16](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/391-just-hit-him-back-or-tell-a-teacher/16/) — In '72 I also lost a tooth.» - [17](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/391-just-hit-him-back-or-tell-a-teacher/17/) — Grown-ups often give children different rules about fighting, usually from their own childhood and out of love. - [18](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/391-just-hit-him-back-or-tell-a-teacher/18/) — Hitting back usually makes a fight longer and bigger, and can bring brothers, friends or the whole street into it. - [19](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/391-just-hit-him-back-or-tell-a-teacher/19/) — Hitting someone first is starting a fight, even if you are afraid they will hit you. - [20](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/391-just-hit-him-back-or-tell-a-teacher/20/) — At school, a child who hits, even to hit back, can get a detention or be sent home. - [21](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/391-just-hit-him-back-or-tell-a-teacher/21/) — Telling a trusted adult is not weakness; it brings in someone with the power to stop the trouble. - [22](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/391-just-hit-him-back-or-tell-a-teacher/22/) — If the first adult does nothing, it is right to tell them again or tell another adult. - [24](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/391-just-hit-him-back-or-tell-a-teacher/24/) — The rule «do not hurt people» is the same for boys and girls. - [25](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/391-just-hit-him-back-or-tell-a-teacher/25/) — Walking away and getting help are not losing; they stop the fight from happening. - [26](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/391-just-hit-him-back-or-tell-a-teacher/26/) — Grown-ups can be wrong; you can listen to them kindly and still choose the safer way. - ← previous: [Showing off](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/390-showing-off/) - next →: [Adults who help and adults who don't](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/392-adults-who-help-and-adults-who-dont/) - ↑ back to [Everyday](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/)