Absolute Clauses

1.    Combine the two sentences below: turn the second sentence into an absolute phrase and place it in front of the first sentence.)

1 ABSOLUTE PHRASE
Step 1: Omit forms of ‘be’ from the DETAIL-sentence
ACTION	DETAIL
The storks circled above us.	Their slender bodies were sleek and black against the sky.
The storks circled above us,	their slender bodies sleek and black against the sky.

2.    Combine the two sentences below: turn the second sentence into an absolute phrase and place it after the first sentence.)

1 ABSOLUTE PHRASE
Step 1: Change the MAIN VERB from the DETAIL-Sentence into en-VERB or ing-VERB.
ACTION	DETAIL
The grass stands at its tallest.	Its new seed plumes rise through a dead crop of withered spears.
The grass stands at its tallest,	its new seed plumes rising through a dead crop of withered spears.

3.     Omit when, and turn the main clause  into an absolute phrase.

1 ABSOLUTE PHRASE
Step 1: Omit ‘when’. Step 2: Omit the form of ‘be’ in the main clause and turn the MAIN CLAUSE into an absolute phrase.
DEPENDENT CLAUSE	MAIN CLAUSE
When the Ferris wheel circles,	the swaying seats are more frightening than a jet plane flying through a monsoon.
The Ferris wheels circles,	the swaying seats more frightening than a jet plane flying through a monsoon.

4.    Create two absolute phrases by omitting ‘and’ and forms of ‘be’.

2 ABSOLUTE PHRASES
Step 1: Omit ‘and’ Step 2: Omit form of ‘be’ verb in the DETAIL-Sentence.
ACTION	DETAIL	DETAIL
Tom came to shore,	and the skin was torn,	and the sea water was gushing from his mouth and nostrils.
Tom came to shore,	the skin torn,	the sea water gushing from his mouth and nostrils.

5.    Combine the three sentences by turning 2 sentences into absolute phrases, and position them at the start/end of the sentence to establish a clear cause-effect relationship.

2 ABSOLUTE PHRASES (CAUSE AND EFFECT)
Step 1: Change the MAIN VERB Verb of the first CAUSE to a have + ing-VERB + en-VERB Step 2: Omit duplicated MAIN VERB from the second Cause
CAUSE	CAUSE	EFFECT
The first marriage ended in divorce.	His second marriage ended in despair.	Norton vowed never to marry again.
His first marriage having ended in divorce,	his second marriage in despair,	Norton vowed never to marry again.
OR  EFFECT – CAUSE - CAUSE
Norton vowed never to marry again,	his first marriage having ended in divorce,	His second marriage in despair.

6.    Combine these three sentences by turning the first sentence into an absolute phrase and the third into a subordinate clause beginning with "where."

1 ABSOLUTE PHRASE + 1 SUBORDINATE CLAUSE
Step 1: Omit forms of ‘be’ from the first DETAIL-sentence. Step 2: Replace ‘there’ with ‘where’
DETAIL	ACTION	DETAIL of DETAIL
His hair was wet from the showers.	He walked in the icy air to KFC.	There he ate three hamburgers with three friends.
His hair wet from the showers,	he walked in the icy air to KFC,	where he ate three hamburgers with three friends.

7.    Combine these sentences into a single sentence with a adjectival phrase, a present participial phrase and 1 absolute phrase.

ADJECTIVAL PHRASE + 1 PRESENT PARTICIPLE PHRASE + 1 ABSOLUTE PHRASE
Step 1: Omit Noun Phrase and Forms of ‘be’.
DETAIL	ACTION	DETAIL	DETAIL
I  was proud of myself.	I stood in the doorway of the boxcar.	I was rocking with the motion of the train.	My ears were full of the rushing wind and the clattering wheels.
Proud of myself,	I stood in the doorway of the boxcar,	rocking with the motion of the train.	My ears were full of the rushing win and the clattering wheels.
Proud of myself,	I stood in the doorway of the boxcar,	rocking with the motion of the train,	my ears full of the rushing wind and the clattering wheels.

8.  Combine the following four sentences into a single sentence with a present participial phrase and two absolute phrases.

2 ABSOLUTE PHRASES + 1 PRESENT PARTICIPLE
Step 1: Change the MAIN VERB from  the first DETAIL-Sentence into en-VERB or ing-VERB. Step 2: Omit forms of ‘be’ from the second and third DETAIL-sentences.
ACTION	DETAIL	DETAIL	DETAIL
All afternoon the caravan passed by.	The caravan shimmered in the winter light.	Its numberless facets were gleaming.	The hundreds of wagon wheels were turning in the dust.
All afternoon the caravan passed by,	shimmering in the winter light,	its numberless facets gleaming,	the hundreds of wagon wheels turning in the dust.

9.    Combine the five sentences into a single sentence with a present participial phrase and three absolute phrases.

ACTION	DETAIL	DETAIL	DETAIL	DETAIL
Six boys came over the hill.	The boys were running hard.	Their heads were down.	Their forearms were working.	Their breaths were whistling.
Six boys came over the hill,	running hard,	their heads down,	their forearm working,	their breaths whistling.

Exercise: Building Longer sentences.

1.    The dishwasher was invented in 1889.
The dishwasher was invented by an Indiana housewife.
The first dishwasher was driven by a steam engine.

2.    I took small sips from a can of Coke.
I was sitting on the ground in a shady corner.
I was sitting with my back against the wall.

3.    I was sitting on the window ledge.
The ledge overlooked the narrow street.
I watched the children.
The children were frolicking in the first snow of the season.

4.    The first edition of Infant Care was published by the U.S. Government.
The first edition of Infant Care was published in 1914.
The first edition of Infant Care recommended the use of peat moss for disposable diapers.

5.    The house sat stately upon a hill.
The house was gray.
The house was weather-worn.
The house was surrounded by barren tobacco fields.

6.    I washed the windows in a fever of fear.
I whipped the squeegee swiftly up and down the glass.
I feared that some member of the gang might see me.

7.    Goldsmith smiled.
He bunched his cheeks like twin rolls of toilet paper.
His cheeks were fat.
The toilet paper was smooth.
The toilet paper was pink.

8.    The roaches scurried in and out of the breadbox.
The roaches sang chanteys.
The roaches sang as they worked.
The roaches paused only to thumb their noses.
They thumbed their noses jeeringly.
They thumbed their noses in my direction.

9.    The medieval peasant was distracted by war.
The medieval peasant was weakened by malnutrition.
The medieval peasant was exhausted by his struggle to earn a living.
The medieval peasant was an easy prey for the dreadful Black Death.

10. He eats slowly.
He eats steadily.
He sucks the sardine oil from his fingers.
The sardine oil is rich.
He sucks the oil with slow and complete relish.

ANSWERS

1.    Invented by an Indiana housewife in 1889, the first dishwasher was driven by a steam engine.

2.    Sitting on the ground in a shady corner with my back against the wall, I took small sips from a can of Coke.

3.    Sitting on the widow ledge overlooking the narrow street, I watched the children frolicking in the first snow of the season.

4.    Published by the U.S. Government in 1914, the first edition of Infant Care recommended the use of peat moss for disposable diapers.

5.    The gray, weather-worn house sat stately upon a hill surrounded by barren tobacco fields.

6.    Fearing that some member of the gang might see me, I washed the windows in a fever of fear, whipping the squeegee swiftly up and down the glass.

7.    "Goldsmith smiled, bunching his fat cheeks like twin rolls of smooth pink toilet paper."
(Nathanael West, Miss Lonelyhearts)

8.    "The roaches scurried in and out of the breadbox, singing chanteys as they worked and pausing only to thumb their noses jeeringly in my direction."
(S. J. Perelman, The Rising Gorge)

9.    The medieval peasant--distracted by war, weakened by malnutrition, exhausted by his struggle to earn a living--was an easy prey for the dreaded Black Death.

10. He eats slowly, steadily, sucking the rich sardine oil from his fingers with slow and complete relish.