1. Writing with Focus Noun Absolutes
Review A
Review B

2. Noun absolutes
Noun absolutes are phrases that begins with a noun followed by a participle or participial phrase.
Noun
Noun
Participle
The cat,
eyes widened,
eyes widened,
eyes widened,
eyes widened,
backed away from the door.
The noun absolute modifies a noun or pronoun and provides a “close-up” of that part of the sentence.

3. Noun absolutes Participles and participial phrases
A participle is a verb form that can be used as an adjective.
Present Participle
cook
ing
sink
ing
Past Participle
cook ed s u nk
The sinking ship tilted to one side.
The cooked turkey smelled delicious.

4. Noun absolutes Participles and participial phrases
A participial phrase consists of a participle and its complements and modifiers.
Participle
Complement
Dad, cooking breakfast, hummed a tune.
Participle
Modifier
Sunk below the horizon, the sun was hidden.

5. Noun absolutes In The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Mark Twain
might have chosen to describe the scene like this:
Injun Joe’s bowie knife lay close by.
Its blade was broken in two.
Instead, Twain used a noun absolute to give special focus to the knife:
Injun Joe’s bowie knife lay close by,
its blade broken in two.
Noun
Participial phrase

6. Noun absolutes Noun absolutes can be quite long.
Watch as this sentence from Edith Wharton’s Ethan Frome grows and gains focus with each added modifier.
One cold winter morning, as he dressed in the dark, his candle flickering in the draught of the ill-fitting window, he had heard her speak from the bed behind him.
One cold winter morning, as he dressed in the dark, he had heard her speak from the bed behind him.
One cold winter morning, as he dressed in the dark, his candle flickering in the draught, he had heard her speak from the bed behind him.
One cold winter morning, as he dressed in the dark, his candle flickering, he had heard her speak from the bed behind him.
Focus Meter
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7. Noun absolutes
Noun absolutes can also appear at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence.
Where the noun absolute appears depends on what the writer wants to emphasize.
Beginning
Cares forgotten,
Marta sat by the lake.
Middle
Marta,
cares forgotten,
sat by the lake.
End
Marta sat by the lake,
cares forgotten.

8. Noun absolutes
Turn the second sentence in each pair into a noun absolute. Then, add the noun absolute to the first sentence. Delete any words as necessary.
1. The band marched by. Instruments were raised.
2. Jared rushed in. His backpack was spilling papers.
3. The students sat uncomfortably. Their conversation had been interrupted by the announcement.

9. Noun absolutes
Turn the second sentence in each pair into a noun absolute. Then, add the noun absolute to the first sentence. Delete any words as necessary.
1. The band, instruments raised, marched by.
The noun absolute could also go at the end or the beginning of the sentence:
The band marched by, instruments raised.
Instruments raised, the band marched by.

10. Noun absolutes
Turn the second sentence in each pair into a noun absolute. Then, add the noun absolute to the first sentence. Delete any words as necessary.
2. Jared rushed in, his backpack spilling papers.
The noun absolute could also go at the beginning or the middle of the sentence:
His backpack spilling papers, Jared rushed in.
Jared, his backpack spilling papers, rushed in.

11. Noun absolutes
Turn the second sentence in each pair into a noun absolute. Then, add the noun absolute to the first sentence. Delete any words as necessary.
3. Their conversation interrupted by the announcement, the students sat uncomfortably.
The noun absolute could also go at the end of the sentence:
The students sat uncomfortably, their conversation interrupted by the announcement.

12. Noun absolutes
On Your Own
Turn the second sentence in each pair into a noun absolute. Then, add the noun absolute to the first sentence. Delete any words as necessary.
1. The barber worked quickly. Hair was flying everywhere.
2. A truck raced by. Its horn was blaring.
3. Amy sparkled. Her gown was covered in sequins.
4. Then you will return home. Every care will have been forgotten.
5. The shipwreck lay there for years. Golden treasure had been crusted by centuries underwater.
[End of Section]

13. Noun absolutes
Possible Answers
Turn the second sentence in each pair into a noun absolute. Then, add the noun absolute to the first sentence. Delete any words as necessary.
1. The barber worked quickly, hair flying everywhere.
2. A truck raced by, its horn blaring.
3. Her gown covered in sequins, Amy sparkled.
4. Then you will return home, every care forgotten.
5. The shipwreck lay there for years, golden treasure crusted by centuries underwater.

14. Review A
Each of the following sentences is from a work of literature. Identify the noun (N) and the participial phrase (P) in each noun absolute.
1. John sat with his head bent, his hands folded on his knee.
2. Sam, his lips curling into a sly smile, revealed the good news.
3. He turned and looked at her where she lay distinctly outlined under the dark calico quilt, her high-boned face taking a grayish tinge from the whiteness of the pillow.
4. One cold winter morning, as he dressed in the dark, his candle flickering in the draught of the ill-fitting window, he had heard her speak from the bed behind him.

15. Review A
Each of the following sentences is from a work of literature. Identify the noun (N) and the participial phrase (P) in each noun absolute. N P
1. John sat with his head bent, his hands folded on his knee. N P
2. Sam, his lips curling into a sly smile, revealed the good news.
3. He turned and looked at her where she lay distinctly outlined under the dark calico quilt, her high-boned face taking a grayish tinge from the whiteness of the pillow. N P N
4. One cold winter morning, as he dressed in the dark, his candle flickering in the draught of the ill-fitting window, he had heard her speak from the bed behind him. P

16. Review B
Revise the second sentence in each item, and add it to the first sentence as a noun absolute. Delete any words as necessary.
1. A ship left the harbor. Sails were unfurled.
2. The window was complete. Its broken pane was fixed.
3. We could not see the mountains. Their bulk was obscured by thick smog.
4. My second draft was much clearer. Its paragraphs were reordered into a more logical sequence.
5. The committee moved on to their next task. Fundraising for the new building was completed.

17. Review B
Revise the second sentence in each item, and add it to the first sentence as a noun absolute. Delete any words as necessary.
[possible answers]
1. A ship left the harbor, sails unfurled.
2. The window was complete, its broken pane fixed.
3. We could not see the mountains, their bulk obscured by thick smog.
4. My second draft, its paragraphs reordered into a more logical sequence, was much clearer.
5. Fundraising for the new building completed, the committee moved on to their next task.

18. The End