Identifying the Absolute Phrase On the next slide are four sentences written by professional writers.

1. She returned to her bench. 2. The boy watched. 3 1. She returned to her bench. 2. The boy watched. 3. About the bones, ants were ebbing away. 4. Six boys came over the hill half an hour early that afternoon, running hard.

Now compare the sentences with the originals.

1a. She returned to her bench, her face showing all the unhappiness that had suddenly overtaken her. 2a. The boy watched, his eyes bulging in the dark. 3a. About the bones, the ants were ebbing away, their pinchers full of meat. 4a. Six boys came over the hill half an hour early that afternoon running hard, their heads down, their forearms working, their breath whistling. (three absolutes)

the green phrases = Absolute Phrases

Characteristics of the Absolute Phrase a modifier that somewhat resembles a complete sentence. Included in most absolute phrases are… a noun a participial (phrase) = why it resembles a sentence.

MISSING! Missing in every absolute phrase is an auxiliary verb always a form of the verb to be is, are, was, or were

First word may be…. a possessive pronoun her his their our my

Sentence openers His hands raw, he reached a flat place at the top. The children carrying their little bags of crackling, they trod the long road home in the cold winter. Outside, his carpetbag in his hand, he stood for a time in the barnyard.

Subject-Verb Splits Miss Hearne, her face was burning, hardly listened to these words. High in the air, a little figure, his hands were thrust in his short jacket pockets, stood staring out to sea. A monk on a motorcycle, his long robes were flying in the wind of his speed, passed John at such a clip that the spirals of dust from his turnings on the winding road looked like little tornadoes.

Subject-Verb Splits Miss Hearne, her face burning, hardly listened to these words. High in the air, a little figure, his hands thrust in his short jacket pockets, stood staring out to sea. A monk on a motorcycle, his long robes flying in the wind of his speed, passed John at such a clip that the spirals of dust from his turnings on the winding road looked like little tornadoes.

Sentence Closers She screamed for Klaus--shrieked for him--and Klaus came on the dead run, his work boots whitened by the half-full pail of milk he had spilled on them. He walked with a prim strut, swinging out his legs in a half-circle with each step, his heels biting smartly into the red velvet carpet on the floor.

Sentence Closers Continued Those who had caught sharks had taken them to the shark factory on the other side of the cove where they were hoisted on a block and tackle, their livers removed, their fins cut off, and their hides skinned out, and their flesh cut into strips for salting. (four closers)

Sentence Closers Continued Those who had caught sharks had taken them to the shark factory on the other side of the cove where they were hoisted on a block and tackle, their livers removed, their fins cut off, and their hides skinned out, and their flesh cut into strips for salting. (four closers)

Your Assignment Choose a topic… Insert two absolute phrases. Senior .5 Christmas Break New Year Resolution/Intentions May 13 Insert two absolute phrases. Possessive Pronoun + Noun + Participial Phrase Due in eight minutes!