2.

PHRASES; CLAUSES AND SENTENCES

A. Phrases:

a. Phrases classified as to Functions:

1. Noun Phrase
2. Verb Phrase
3. Adjective Phrase
4. Adverb Phrase

b. Phrases classified as to Introductory Words:

1. Participial Phrase
2. Gerund Phrase
3. Infinitive Phrase
4. Prepositional Phrase

B. Clauses:

a. Main Clause
b. Subordinate Clauses & Relative Clauses
1. Noun Clause
2. Adjectives Clause
3. Adverb Clause

C. Type of Sentences:

a. Simple Sentence
b. Compound Sentence
c. Complex Sentence
d. Compound Complex Sentence

Goals

By knowing and understanding the type group of words - phrases, clauses & their functions,
and the type of sentences, the students can be able to:

1. analyze the written or spoken discourse of the mining context composed by group of words.
2. catch the meaning of the written or spoken discourse of the mining context based on the
type of group of words
3. apply the type of group of words actively to compose sentences both in written language
or spoken language through some exercises and practices in daily activities or in the mining
context.

Lesta-English for Mining Engineering-2020 1

A. PHRASES

a. Phrases classified as to their Functions

A phrase is a group of words used as a single part of speech and not containing a verb
and its subject.

1. Noun Phrase

A Noun phrase is a group of words used as a noun and its function in the sentence is as
subject, object or complement. A noun phrase consists of adjectives plus noun.

Examples:
 The amount of data that is available to today’s mining engineers is astounding
S=N-ph C=N-ph as O of preposition to

compared to what was available five years ago.

 A number of mines have recently switched from a volume strategy

S=N-ph N-ph=O of prep. from

to a cost strategy, which would be a prudent approach in the current environment

N-ph=O of prep.to N-ph=complement N-ph=O of prep. in

of lower commodity prices.

N-ph as O of prep. of

2. Verb Phrase

A verb phrase is a group of words used as a verb and its function in the sentence is as
predicate. A verb phrase consists of (auxiliary verb) + main verb.

Examples:
 Exploration expenditures are defined as expenses incurred by a mining organization
aux V (to be) + main V (passive voice)
P = V-ph

in determining the location and quality of mineral deposits

that had not previously been commercially exploited.

aux V (to have) + adv + main V (passive voice)
P = V-ph

 The only question was proving up enough ore to support a profitable investment.
aux V (to be) + main V (active voice)
P = V-ph

Lesta-English for Mining Engineering-2020 2

3. Adjective Phrase

An adjective phrase is a group of words used as an adjective, i.e. modifies a noun or a

pronoun. Most of the adjective phrase in the form of prepositional phrase but its function in
the sentence, of course, as adjective.

Examples:
 Mineral producers both large or small will experience additional financial pressure
S=N-ph Adj-ph P=V-ph O=N-ph
in the coming years.

 Women on boards in the mining industry are correlated with higher profit
N Prep-ph=Adj-ph Prep-ph=Adj-ph P=V-ph
S=N-ph
margins, higher return on assets and higher average enterprice value/reserves.

4. Adverb Phrase

An adverb phrase is a group of words used as an adverb, i.e. modifies a verb, an adjective,
and an adverb. Most of the adverb phrase in the form of prepositional phrase but its function
in the sentence, of course, as adverb.

Examples:
 Women on boards in the mining industry are correlated with higher profit
S=N-ph P=V Prep-ph=Adv-ph

margins, higher return on assets and higher average enterprice value/reserves.

Prep-ph=Adv-ph Prep-ph=Adv-ph

 On the other hand, foreign procurements were important early in the program
Prep-ph=Adv-ph adv+Prep-ph=Adv-ph

because the strategy was to purchase some of the foreign-made materials and

have them in stock in case an unexpected emergency again cut the United States off

from foreign sources.

Prep-ph=Adv-ph

Lesta-English for Mining Engineering-2020 3

b. Phrases classified as to Introductory Words

1. Gerund Phrase

A gerund phrase is a phrase containing a gerund (a word formed from a verb +ing and used
as a noun).
Examples:
 Achieving the change required by the mining industry will require leaders
S=Gerund-ph=N-ph
with initiative, patience, courage, persistence, vision, and the faith to be a
transformational leader.

 The sofware could be determined using 3-D image and the data off-loaded
O=Gerund-ph=N
directly from the drill and showed a relationship between the borehole and burden.

2. Infinitive Phrase

An infinitive phrase is a phrase which contains an infinitive: a verbal consisting of word ‘to’
and it’s followed by a verb (to dig, to drill, to estimate, etc.). It can be used as nouns,
adjectives, or adverbs in the sentence.

Examples:
 To transform the Arizona copper mining industry from one of boom or bust,
Infinitive-ph = Adj
the leaders of the industry need to embrace a change from the leadership style.
Infinitive-ph = Adv

 The women required in mining companies must be qualified to positively affect

Infinitive-ph = Adv
performance, to have a voice, and their voice needs to be heard.
Infinitive-ph = Adv Infinitive-ph = Adv

 To find new reserves, to handle more complex ores, and to minimize wastes
Infinitive-ph = N Infinitive-ph = N Infinitive-ph = N
as Subject
are the challenges to increase the universal demand for mining commodities.
Infinitive-ph = Adj

 Global exploration expenditure to explore and discover mineral deposits on and below
Infinitive-ph = Adj
the earth’s surface are being spent vast amounts of money.

Lesta-English for Mining Engineering-2020 4

3. Participial Phrase

A participial phrase is a participle (present or past participle) introduces a group of related

words, all of which act together as an adjective.

Examples:
 Just one woman sitting on the board did not lead to better results for the mining
participial-ph (present/active meaning)=Adj
company, and sometimes it leads to negative results.

 Growing up around and now working in copper mining business, Nathan has
participial-ph (present/active meaning))=Adj
always interested in that area.

 The mining plan based on technical and economic models is no longer solely, but
participial-ph (past/passive meaning))=Adj
it incorporates the wider concerns of society.

 Increased ore-body knowledge and associated technical developments allow more

participial-ph=Adj participial-ph=Adj
complex ore bodies to be potentially exploited.

4. Prepositional Phrase

A prepositional phrase is a group of words beginning with a preposition and ending with a
noun or pronoun (with black curly hair; for the supervisor; at the campus, etc.).
Remember: when a prepositional phrase is used as an adjectives it is called an adjectives
phrase; when a prepositional phrase tells when, where, how, how much, or how far the action
of the verb takes place, then it is used as an adverb and is called an adverb phrase.

Examples:
 In 2006, the first comprehensive, global benchmark of trucks, loaders, and drills
Prep-ph=Adv Prep-ph=Adj
was compiled by a multinational mining company.
Prep-ph=Adv

 Many of these mines are still executing a volume strategy on the mine level,
Prep-ph=Adj Prep-ph=Adj
executive management has been quite alarmed when presented with this info.
Prep-ph=Adv

 The aim of exploration geology is to find mineralized target areas for development
Prep-ph=Adj
into profitable mines.
Prep-ph=Adj

Lesta-English for Mining Engineering-2020 5

B. CLAUSES:

A clause is a group of words that contains a verb and its subject and is used as a
part of sentence.

a. MAIN CLAUSES

A main (or independent) clause expresses a completed thought and can stand by
itself as a sentence.

Examples:
 PT-FI’s Grasberg operations are among the largest copper and gold producing
N-ph=S Aux(v)/to be = P prep-ph=Adv-ph=C
operations in the world.

 MineWare has upgraded the digability index to a more comprehensive metric.

N-ph=S V-ph=P N-ph=O

 The mining industry works under intense scrutiny, and rightfully so.
N-ph=S V-ph=P prep-ph=Adv-ph=C

 Efficiencies must be found in all operational areas, from exploration to extraction.

N=S V-ph=P prep-ph=Adv-ph=C

 In the future, real-time feedback from the drilling rig will be regarded as routine.
N-ph=S V-ph=P

Main clause are frequently joined by coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or, nor, for).

Examples:
 Today’s mines have access to mountains of data, but it is useless unless the right
N-ph=S V-ph=P pro-N=S V-ph=P
information is collected and distributed to the right people.

 The mining industry is changing in step with global demands, but the challenges of
N-ph=S V-ph=P N-ph=S
supplying minerals and metals to a world experiencing exponential change are great.
V-ph=P

 The mining industry is not insulated from the effects of global warming, and we
N-ph=S V-ph=P Pro-N=S
must play our part in dealing with it, but, as miners, we must take sustained action
V-ph=P Pro-N=S V-ph=P
to reduce the environmental impact of our operations.

Lesta-English for Mining Engineering-2020 6

When the subject of the two clauses is the same, we can often leave it out, especially after
and and or.

Examples:
 The Grasberg operations continued to produce at about half their rated capacity
N-ph=S V-ph=P
during the first half of 2014 and continued to ship concentrates to the Gresik copper
V-ph=P
smelter in Indonesia.

 Advanced blast design packages will become more accepted and

N-ph=S V-ph=P
more sophisticated, with the packages linked directly to the charge loading trucks.

 A conveyor is more fixed and can transport well-fragmented material but

N-ph=S V-ph=P V-ph=P

cannot take run-of-mine blasted material, unlike haul trucks.

V-ph=P

b. SUB-CLAUSES/RELATIVE CLAUSES

A subordinate (or dependent) clause does not express a completed thought and cannot
stand alone. A subordinate clause depends upon a main clause to make the meaning
complete.

Examples:
 Miners were going to go from where they were to unmanned farming in one step.
Sub-Clause

 Most people have some hazy notion about unmanned vehicle that it has something
Sub-Clause
to do with GPS.

 This autonomous vehicle technoloy in mining which hadn’t happened in the last 10
Sub-Clause
years released in 2000.

 Although work forces can be maintained in mining regions,

Sub-Clause
the cost of doing so is extremely high, not only in direct wages, training costs, and
penalties that have to be paid to professionals and skilled workers alike, but also in
Sub-Clause
housing and other infrastructure needed to support the work force.

Lesta-English for Mining Engineering-2020 7

A relative clause is one introduced by a relative pronoun (who, whom, whose, which, and
that) which relates to another word or idea in the sentence. A relative clause introduced by
who, whom, whose, which, is called as wh-clause, whereas a relative clause introduced by
that, sometimes it’s called as that-clause.

Examples:
 Catherine McLeod-Seltzer who is a director of Kincross Gold, chair and director of
Rel-cl = Wh-cls
Bear Creek Mining, and founder of numerous mining ventures, felt those companies
which have more diversity on their boards are probably more progressive and more
Rel-cl = Wh-cls
forward thinking than other companies.

 We have found that working closely with both reagent suppliers and mines can
Rel-cl = Th-cls
provide great dividends.

 They are more likely to act on what they see and take action against those
Rel-cl = Wh-cls
who do not accept that the risks to our future are real and against those
Rel-cl = Wh-cls Rel-cl = Th-cls
who act irresponsibly.
Rel-cl = Wh-cls

According to the functions, subordinate clauses/relative clauses can be divided

into:

1. Noun Clauses

A noun clause is a subordinate clause used as a noun and usually introduced by that, what,
whatever, whoever, whom, and whomever.

Examples:
 We are sure that the woman who is the member of the Women in Mining U.K.
N-cl = O Adj-cl
advisory board and consultant with more than 20 years in the mining industry is the
greatest Sabine Anderson.

 Whoever women are be at board of the mining company will spend their entire
N-cl = S
career in mining, it makes people, then, think that mining is as a pretty small
N-cl = O
industry.

Lesta-English for Mining Engineering-2020 8

2. Adjective Clauses

An adjective clause is a subordinate clause used as an adjective to modify a noun or a

pronoun. An adjective clause is usually introduced by a relative pronoun that is placed very
close to the word that the clause modifies.

Examples:
 The mining companies which have two or more women on their boards spend five
Rel-cl = Adj-cl
times more on community projects than the companies with all-male boards.

 Amanda van Dyke who is the chair of Women in Mining U.K. has encouraged women
Rel-cl = Adj-cl
to get more involved in mining, she also has sought ways to demonstrate to the
industry the value of attracting female candidates.

 The exploration of minerals is based on the premise that elements or traces of

Rel-cl = Adj-cl
geochemical “pathfinders” migrate out from the original ore body by various means
to form anomalous areas or dispersion aureoles that can be detected by highly
Rel-cl = Adj-cl
sensitive methods of analysis.

3. Adverb Clauses

An adverb clause is a subordinate clause used as an adverb. An adverb clause may be

introduced by subordinating conjunctions: after, although, as, as if, as long as, because,
before, if, in order that, since, so that, than, unless, until, when, wherever, while, to form any
adverb clauses.

Examples:
 Production and transportation are simplified and they use less carbon,
moreover the product can often be re-used elsewhere when the mining project ends.
Sub-cl = Adv-cl Sub-cl = Adv-cl

 Because chemical suppliers are focused on how flotation reagent chemistries impact
Sub-cl = Adv-cl Sub-cl = Adv-cl
the process response, they are the application experts or should be.

 Block caves require greater upfront ore-body knowledge, because the final
extraction level needs to be planned in detail before construction can commence.
Sub-cl = Adv-cl Sub-cl = Adv-cl

 Although the future of the industry or their employer may be importan, to most
Sub-cl = Adv-cl
workers, income stability is all that matters, so this must be addressed in any
Sub-cl = Adv-cl
change process.
Lesta-English for Mining Engineering-2020 9
4. Conditonal Clauses

Most conditional sentences have a clause starting with if. There are some verb forms which
often go together. These patterns are usually called Types 1, 2, and 3 and 0.

Type 0: If...+present...+present...
Type 1: If...+present...+will...
Type 2: If...+past...+would...
Type 3: If...+past perfect...+would+perfect...

Examples:
 Type 0: If the gold mining company fails, the investors lose all their shares.
 Type I: If the gold mining company fails, the investors will lose all their shares.
 Type II: If the gold mining company failed, the investors would lose all their shares.
 Type III: If the gold mining company had failed, the investors would have lost all
their shares.

The if-clause usually comes before the main clause, but it can come after it too.

Examples:
 Type 0: The investors lose all their shares if the gold mining company fails.
 Type I: The investors will lose all their shares if the gold mining company fails.
 Type II: The investors would lose all their shares if the gold mining company failed.
 Type III: The investors would have lost all their shares if the gold mining company
had failed.

C. TYPES OF SENTENCES

1. Simple Sentence

A simple sentence has 1 (one) main clause, it means it has only one subject and one
predicate.
Examples:
 The new rules pertaining to mining exploration activities will be tested soon.
S = N-ph P = V-ph

 Ore-body knowledge is critical to the overall design and construction plan.

S = N-ph P= aux(V)=to be Adj-ph = C

Lesta-English for Mining Engineering-2020 10

  Mine operations in more politically sensitive regions may well be controlled by
S = N-ph P = V-ph
workers sitting in an operations center in a neighboring or distant country.

 The mining industry has experienced significant growth in the utilization of

S = N-ph P = V-ph O = N-ph
computers since the mid-1980s due to widespread adoption of personal computers.

 All of this data handling must be performed rapidly to ensure feedback to the vehicle
S = N-ph P = V-ph
and the autonomous brain controlling the array of resources in the mine.

2. Compound Sentence

A compound sentence has 2 (two) or more main clauses, which are usually connected with
comma or co-ordinating conjunctions (fanboys = for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so).

Examples:
 Once the system has been developed, the mine can begin to embark on a path
Main Clause -1 Main Clause -2
of continuous improvement based on benchmarks.

 Automation and remote operations directly impact mine workers, and

Main Clause -1
success in introducing change cannot be assumed.
Main Clause -2

 Two other trends will affect mineral processing, one, mechanical miners using
Main Clause -1
rotating cutters have shown promise in rocks up to 200 MPa, but they produce a
Main Clause -2 Main Clause -3
quite different size distribution than blasting and excavation, and two, new ore-

sorting technologies will automatically sense and optimize conditions according to the
Main Clause -4
composition of the host rock.

3. Complex Sentence

A complex sentence has 1 (one) main clause and 1 (one) or more subordinates clauses.

Examples:
 As the old mining code became increasingly unreliable,
Sub-Cl = Adv=cl
exploration license aucations were suspended.
Main Clause
Lesta-English for Mining Engineering-2020 11
  If these and other systems were put together, it is easy to imagine the mine of the
Sub Clause -1 = adv-cl Main Clause
future operating similar to a rock factory where all functions work in unison, more
Sub Clause -2 = adv-cl
like a production mine than the variable mines seen today.

 The timing of the transition is not negotiable, because caving can cause instability in a
Main Clause Sub Clause -1 = adv-cl
pit, so all surface mining activities must cease before ore can be taken from a block
Sub Clause -2 = adv-cl Sub Clause -3 = adv-cl
cave mine.

4. Compound Complex Sentence

A compound complex sentence has at least 2 (two) main clauses and 1 (one) or more
subordinate clauses.

Examples:
 A highwall or bench failure would be a good example, where the mine has been told
Main Clause-1 Sub Clause -1 = adv-cl
by regulators or an insurer that they cannot operate in a certain area and they need
Sub Clause -2 = adj-cl Main Clause-2
an unmanned vehicle to perform the work.

 The only certainty is that the growing global demand for minerals will stimulate
Main Clause-1 Sub Clause -1 = adj-cl
changes in underground mining methods, some of which will be predictable and
Sub Clause -2 = N-cl
some will not be foreseen.
Main Clause-2

Lesta-English for Mining Engineering-2020 12

 EXERCISES

A. Identify the type of phrases of the underlined group of words in the following
passage.

The terms mine waste piles and dumps refer to piles of waste rock or leached ore that
carry little or no economic value (1) at the time they are placed. As commodity values rise
(2) and process methods gain efficiency, waste piles and dumps (3) may be reclassified as
ore and gain value. Also, the waste material may be valuable at some future time (4) as an
aggregate source, for use in riprap, drain material, or other process method that recovers the
commodity at lower grades or has lower acceptable rates (5) of return. Heaps are ore piles
that are amenable to a leaching process, both with and without the use of liners, and share
physical characteristics with piles and dumps.

A. Identify the type of clauses of the underlined group of words in the following
passage.

In underground mining, multiboom jumbo drills can be programmed to drill the desired
blasthole patterns automatically, through coordination with an automated surveying and
guidance system, and simultaneously monitor the drilling parameters and optimize the control
parameters. Interfaces also exist that allow for ground characterization (1) while drilling by
comparing the current drilling rates and other parameters with stored data for drilling in
similar rock types. In this manner, the instrumentation system can provide an estimate (2)
of the rock properties.
Directional drilling has also made significant progress and is used with high speed and
an advanced degree of accuracy (3) for applications in oil well drilling, coal mine
degasification, as well as civil engineering. Direction changes are effected using a bent sub
(4) together with a downhole mud motor drive unit to rotate the bits. The mud motor drive
works in conjunction with rotary bits and receives the thrust force and torque reaction from
the drill string, which in this case does not rotate (5).

C. Find and determine the types of phrases as many as possible from the following
passage.
Boreholes drilled for solution mining are not production holes in the same sense as
blast-holes; however, they are production holes in the sense that they are used to either
inject or remove the fluid used to dissolve the rock and have a limited life span. Another
difference is that after the holes have been advanced to their ultimate depth, they are cased
and cemented and fitted with production tubing, a process known as well completion. Several
different well-completion types are found in solution mines. The Frasch process for solution
mining of sulfur utilizes concentric pipes, with hot water injected in one pipe and the sulfur-
bearing pregnant solution removed in another. In solution mining of salt and potash,
concentric pipes are used to develop the injection and recovery wells. When the wells have
reached the target depth and the sumps have been excavated, mining proceeds laterally until

Lesta-English for Mining Engineering-2020 13

the two wells are connected. At this point, one well is converted to an injection well and the
other becomes the recovery well.

C. Find and determine the types of clauses as many as possible from the following
passage.

To provide background information on flows and water quality, groundwater and

surface water samples should be collected before construction begins. These measurements
and samples should be collected throughout the year so that seasonal fluctuations can also
be monitored and effectively evaluated. All drainages and aquifers in the vicinity of the project
should be tested to ensure that water quality for the entire project area is well understood
before the project begins.
Initial testing of the water samples should include major-cations and anions, metals,
nitrates, dissolved and suspended solids, salts, and organic compounds, as well as other
constituents that may emerge as relevant during the process and involve potential changes
to water chemistry. Samples should be collected from dedicated monitoring wells and surface
sampling locations, both up-and down-gradient of the project site.
A water quality monitoring plan should be prepared to document sample locations,
sampling frequencies, and protocol for collecting the samples.

Lesta-English for Mining Engineering-2020 14

 REFERENCES

Ansell, Mary. 2000. Free English Grammar. EBook: www.seyfihoca.com

Azar, Betty Schrampfer. 2002. Understanding and Using English Grammar. New York:
Pearson Education.

Huddleston, Rodney and Geoffrey K. Pullum. 2007. A Student’s Introduction to English

Grammar. UK: Cambridge University Press.

Berry, Roger. 2012. English Grammar: A Resource Book for Students. New York: Routledge.

Eastwood, John. 2008. Oxford Learner’s Grammar. UK: Oxford University Press.

Mas’ud, Fuad.2005. Essential of English Grammar: a practical guide. Edisi 3. Yogyakarta:

BPFE.

Olivia, Maria Belen; Patricia Mehan and Candelaria Luque Colombres. 2018. English
Grammar Basic. UNC: Falcutad de Lenguas.

THANK YOU

IT IS ALWAYS WISE TO LOOK AHEAD BUT DIFFICULT

TO LOOK FARTHER THAN YOU CAN SEE.

Lesta-English for Mining Engineering-2020 15