---
title: shale — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «shale» in the school dictionary: Shale is a soft grey or dark rock made of hardened mud or clay that splits easily into thin flat layers. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# shale

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Shale, clay, companies, you, We, path · **What happens:** be, make, harden, split, drill, tap · **To what, where:** soft grey rock, thin flat layers, source, that, cliff, thin flakes

<!-- .vabout -->
«shale» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 6 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [shale in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/shale.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Shale is a soft grey or dark rock made of hardened mud or clay that splits easily into thin flat layers.

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:shale:m1:1
# text = Shale is a soft grey or dark rock made of hardened mud or clay that splits easily into thin flat layers.
1	Shale	shale	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
4	soft	soft	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
5	grey	grey	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	dark	dark	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	conj	_	_
8	rock	rock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
9	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	acl	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	hardened	harden	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	12	amod	_	_
12	mud	mud	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
13	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	clay	clay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	conj	_	_
15	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	16	nsubj	_	_
16	splits	split	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	acl:relcl	_	_
17	easily	easily	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	_
18	into	into	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
19	thin	thin	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	21	amod	_	_
20	flat	flat	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	21	amod	_	_
21	layers	layer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Shale | a soft grey rock |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **make** | participle |  | a soft grey rock *not said here* |  |  |  | of hardened mud or clay | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset |
| 3 | **harden** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 4 | **split** | present | clay |  |  |  |  | into thin flat layers *result*; easily *property* | vn break-45.1 «NP V PP.result»: agent=Patient into layer=Result |

<!-- .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.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Shale is also a source of oil and gas that companies drill for.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:shale:m2:1
# text = Shale is also a source of oil and gas that companies drill for.
1	Shale	shale	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	also	also	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	source	source	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	oil	oil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	gas	gas	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	_
10	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	12	obj	_	_
11	companies	company	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	nsubj	_	_
12	drill	drill	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	parataxis	_	_
13	for	for	ADP	IN	_	12	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Shale | a source |  |  |  | of oil and gas | tree rules |
| 2 | **drill** | present | companies | that |  |  |  |  | vn carve-21.2-3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent that=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The cliff was made of crumbly grey shale.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:shale:x1:1
# text = The cliff was made of crumbly grey shale.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	cliff	cliff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	crumbly	crumbly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
7	grey	grey	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	shale	shale	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past · passive |  | the cliff |  |  |  | of crumbly grey shale | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: subject=Product |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Shale splits into thin flakes when you tap it.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:shale:x2:1
# text = Shale splits into thin flakes when you tap it.
1	Shale	shale	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	splits	split	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	into	into	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	thin	thin	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	flakes	flake	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
6	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	8	advmod	_	_
7	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	tap	tap	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **split** | present | Shale |  |  |  |  | into thin flakes *result* | vn break-45.1 «NP V PP.result»: agent=Patient into flake=Result |
| 2 | **tap** | present | you | Shale |  |  |  |  | vn investigate-35.4 «NP V NP.location»: agent=Agent it=Location |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We found a fossil fern in a piece of shale.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:shale:x3:1
# text = We found a fossil fern in a piece of shale.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	found	find	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	fossil	fossil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	fern	fern	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	piece	piece	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	shale	shale	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **find** | past | We | a fossil fern |  | a piece of shale |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent fern=Topic |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Shale is a sedimentary rock made from mud.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:shale:x4:1
# text = Shale is a sedimentary rock made from mud.
1	Shale	shale	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	sedimentary	sedimentary	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	rock	rock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	acl	_	_
7	from	from	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	mud	mud	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Shale | a sedimentary rock |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **make** | participle |  | a sedimentary rock *not said here* |  | mud |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V PP»: agent=Asset from mud=Material |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Some companies drill deep into shale to get gas.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:shale:x5:1
# text = Some companies drill deep into shale to get gas.
1	Some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	2	det	_	_
2	companies	company	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	drill	drill	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	deep	deep	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
5	into	into	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	shale	shale	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	get	get	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
9	gas	gas	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **drill** | present | some companies |  |  | shale |  | deep *property* | vn carve-21.2-3 «NP V ADVP-Middle»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **get** | to-infinitive | some companies *not said here* | gas |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer gas=Stimulus |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The path was slippery with loose shale.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:shale:x6:1
# text = The path was slippery with loose shale.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	path	path	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	slippery	slippery	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	loose	loose	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	shale	shale	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the path |  |  |  |  | with loose shale; slippery *property* | tree rules |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **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 meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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