--- title: The friend who only calls when they need something — a lesson of Mova's school · trees and pragmatics description: «The friend who only calls when they need something», a lesson of the everyday course of Mova's primary school, sentence by sentence with dependency trees and pragmatics. It begins: Connor's friend Ollie only messages when he needs something: help with maths homework, a lend of a charger, Connor's s --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/) [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/) / The friend who only calls when they ne… # The friend who only calls when they need something Lesson 470 of the everyday course of Mova's primary school: 41 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/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/). - [0](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/0/) — Connor's friend Ollie only messages when he needs something: help with maths homework, a lend of a charger, Connor's spare ticket to the match. - [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/1/) — When Connor invites him to his birthday, Ollie is «busy, soz». - [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/2/) — Connor's mum finds him moping. - [4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/4/) — You end up empty.» Connor stops jumping every time Ollie pings. - [5](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/5/) — Ollie stops messaging. - [6](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/6/) — It goes quiet, and Connor realises he doesn't miss him much. - [7](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/7/) — He spends more time with Raj, who never asks for anything and always brings two biscuits. - [8](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/8/) — Kieran's mate Deano «forgets» his dinner money every week. - [10](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/10/) — Friday never comes; he owes £7.40. - [11](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/11/) — Kieran starts saying, «Sorry, I need it today.» Deano grumbles that Kieran's «tight» — stingy — and then stops asking. - [12](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/12/) — Jake's cousin Callum rings only to borrow Jake's PlayStation «for my mate's sleepover, cuz». - [13](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/13/) — Last time it came back on Thursday, not Monday, with a sticky controller. - [14](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/14/) — This time Jake says, «Nah, but come round and play here.» Callum comes, and it's actually a laugh. - [15](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/15/) — Some favours are wrong to do at all. - [17](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/17/) — Love you, babe.» Jess is going round the shops with older girls. - [18](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/18/) — Maddie says no. - [19](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/19/) — Jess calls her «boring» and «a snake», and stops calling. - [20](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/20/) — Maddie feels a bit lonely — and right; her mum hugs her and says she's proud. - [21](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/21/) — In tests Bella whispers «what did you get for number 6?» and Chloe tells her, but when Chloe asks for help with fractions, Bella is «too busy». - [22](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/22/) — Chloe stops whispering answers, and finds a study buddy, Aisha, who helps with fractions and asks for help with spelling. - [23](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/23/) — Lily's friend Hannah only invites her round the night before a test, to revise Hannah's weak bits — never Saturday, never fun. - [24](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/24/) — Lily says, «I'll help, but let's do something fun after.» They bake terrible cookies, and it's the best afternoon they've had. - [26](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/26/) — When Mia's grandpa is in hospital, Ava doesn't text once. - [27](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/27/) — «A fair-weather friend is here for the sunshine and gone when it rains, sugar,» Grandma says. - [28](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/28/) — Mia notices who did text: Kenzie, twice a day. - [30](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/30/) — «My bad, bro.» No offer to fix them. - [31](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/31/) — Next day Rafi brings new laces — but the split stays. - [33](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/33/) — He stops buying. - [34](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/34/) — She stops being nice. - [35](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/35/) — She was never really nice at all. - [36](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/36/) — Friendship goes both ways: both people give and both people take. - [37](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/37/) — Someone who only gets in touch when they want something is a one-way friend. - [38](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/38/) — You can say no to lending money or things; a real friend pays back and looks after what they borrow. - [39](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/39/) — Lend only what you would be all right about losing, and ask for it back looked after. - [40](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/40/) — Never lie to a parent to cover for a friend; a real friend shouldn't ask you to. - [41](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/41/) — Giving someone your test answers is cheating and can get you both into trouble; test answers stay your own. - [43](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/43/) — Turning a favour into time together shows whether a person wanted you or only your things. - [44](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/44/) — A fair-weather friend is around for the good times and disappears when things get hard. - [45](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/45/) — Real friends show up on bad days too; notice who does. - [46](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/46/) — If someone's kindness has a price tag, it isn't really kindness. - [47](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/470-the-friend-who-only-calls-when-they-need-something/47/) — Saying no to a one-way friend can feel lonely at first, but it leaves room for friends who give back. - ← previous: [The copier and the one who competes at everything](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/469-the-copier-and-the-one-who-competes-at-everything/) - next →: [The kid who has it in for you](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/471-the-kid-who-has-it-in-for-you/) - ↑ back to [Everyday](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/)