--- title: Grown-ups' little lies: the ice-cream van — a lesson of Mova's school · trees and pragmatics description: «Grown-ups' little lies: the ice-cream van», a lesson of the everyday course of Mova's primary school, sentence by sentence with dependency trees and pragmatics. It begins: Jacob's mum in Leeds told him the ice-cream van plays its music when it has run out of ice cream. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/443-grown-ups-little-lies-the-ice-cream-van/) [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/) / Grown-ups' little lies: the ice-cream… # Grown-ups' little lies: the ice-cream van Lesson 443 of the everyday course of Mova's primary school: 39 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/443-grown-ups-little-lies-the-ice-cream-van/). - [0](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/443-grown-ups-little-lies-the-ice-cream-van/0/) — Jacob's mum in Leeds told him the ice-cream van plays its music when it has run out of ice cream. - [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/443-grown-ups-little-lies-the-ice-cream-van/1/) — He believed it till he was eight — then he saw kids walking past the van with cones while the music played. - [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/443-grown-ups-little-lies-the-ice-cream-van/2/) — He was proper mardy (sulky, in a bad mood) for a whole afternoon. - [3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/443-grown-ups-little-lies-the-ice-cream-van/3/) — Then he laughed. - [4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/443-grown-ups-little-lies-the-ice-cream-van/4/) — Mum said sorry and bought him a 99 — a cone with a chocolate stick in it. - [5](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/443-grown-ups-little-lies-the-ice-cream-van/5/) — «I just couldn't buy ice cream every time that van came round, love.» - [6](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/443-grown-ups-little-lies-the-ice-cream-van/6/) — Grown-ups tell little lies too, usually to make life easier or to avoid a row. - [8](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/443-grown-ups-little-lies-the-ice-cream-van/8/) — Mia saw kids there; Dad admitted «I'm knackered, love, sorry» (knackered means very tired), and they went for ten minutes. - [9](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/443-grown-ups-little-lies-the-ice-cream-van/9/) — Aroha's dad in Auckland said the shop was out of her favourite sweets. - [10](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/443-grown-ups-little-lies-the-ice-cream-van/10/) — «They're right there, Dad.» «Yeah nah, caught out. - [11](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/443-grown-ups-little-lies-the-ice-cream-van/11/) — No sweets today.» Ben's mum said the tablet «needs a rest at night or it breaks». - [12](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/443-grown-ups-little-lies-the-ice-cream-van/12/) — When Ben found out it doesn't, Mum laughed: «Fine — YOU need rest.» They made a real rule together. - [13](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/443-grown-ups-little-lies-the-ice-cream-van/13/) — Some old lies are family sayings. - [14](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/443-grown-ups-little-lies-the-ice-cream-van/14/) — Lucy's grandpa in Kentucky told her that if she crossed her eyes too long they'd stay that way. - [15](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/443-grown-ups-little-lies-the-ice-cream-van/15/) — Her teacher said it isn't true. - [16](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/443-grown-ups-little-lies-the-ice-cream-van/16/) — Grandpa chuckled: «Well, it worked on your daddy.» Emma's uncle said Santa watched through the smoke alarm light. - [17](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/443-grown-ups-little-lies-the-ice-cream-van/17/) — When Emma grew out of it, she laughed — it had been a game, not a cheat. - [19](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/443-grown-ups-little-lies-the-ice-cream-van/19/) — Everyone could tell it was a joke, and they went quiet anyway. - [20](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/443-grown-ups-little-lies-the-ice-cream-van/20/) — Some lies are to protect you or to be polite. - [22](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/443-grown-ups-little-lies-the-ice-cream-van/22/) — Sophie hugged her anyway, and later Mum told her about bad news at work. - [23](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/443-grown-ups-little-lies-the-ice-cream-van/23/) — Ollie's dad said an injection «won't hurt a bit». - [24](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/443-grown-ups-little-lies-the-ice-cream-van/24/) — It did, and Ollie cried more because he felt tricked; the nurse's «it'll sting for a second, then it's done» was better. - [25](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/443-grown-ups-little-lies-the-ice-cream-van/25/) — Josh heard his mum tell the neighbour «We'd love to come!» and then at home: «Ugh, I hate barbecues.» Josh asked if that was lying. - [26](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/443-grown-ups-little-lies-the-ice-cream-van/26/) — Mum thought, then said: «It's a white lie, to be kind. - [27](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/443-grown-ups-little-lies-the-ice-cream-van/27/) — But you're right — I could've said we're busy.» - [28](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/443-grown-ups-little-lies-the-ice-cream-van/28/) — Grown-ups are humans who get tired, want peace and don't want to upset anyone. - [29](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/443-grown-ups-little-lies-the-ice-cream-van/29/) — When you catch a little lie, you can say so kindly and ask for the real reason. - [30](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/443-grown-ups-little-lies-the-ice-cream-van/30/) — Real reasons are easier to follow, and most grown-ups laugh when caught. - [31](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/443-grown-ups-little-lies-the-ice-cream-van/31/) — Grown-ups sometimes tell little lies to avoid an argument, to save money or because they are tired. - [32](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/443-grown-ups-little-lies-the-ice-cream-van/32/) — A rule with a made-up reason, like «the tablet needs a rest», is easier to follow when the real reason is given. - [33](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/443-grown-ups-little-lies-the-ice-cream-van/33/) — Crossing your eyes does not make them stay that way; it is an old myth. - [34](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/443-grown-ups-little-lies-the-ice-cream-van/34/) — Many old warnings told to children are myths, and you can check them kindly. - [35](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/443-grown-ups-little-lies-the-ice-cream-van/35/) — Some family stories, like Santa watching, are play that children grow out of, not cheating. - [36](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/443-grown-ups-little-lies-the-ice-cream-van/36/) — A joke exaggeration that everyone can see is a joke is not a mean lie. - [37](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/443-grown-ups-little-lies-the-ice-cream-van/37/) — Grown-ups sometimes hide sadness to protect children; you can say «You don't look fine. - [38](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/443-grown-ups-little-lies-the-ice-cream-van/38/) — Can I help?» - [39](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/443-grown-ups-little-lies-the-ice-cream-van/39/) — Being told something «won't hurt» when it does can make you feel tricked; honest warnings help you get ready. - [40](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/443-grown-ups-little-lies-the-ice-cream-van/40/) — A white lie is a small lie told to be kind or polite; people disagree about whether white lies are all right. - [42](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/443-grown-ups-little-lies-the-ice-cream-van/42/) — When you find out a grown-up's little lie, it is fine to tell them how it felt. - ← previous: [Politicians and promises, as the news reports them](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/442-politicians-and-promises-as-the-news-reports-them/) - next →: [«Free skins» and scams in games](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/444-free-skins-and-scams-in-games/) - ↑ back to [Everyday](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/)