Absolute Constructions

1. Absolute Constructions

2. Change from full Subject –
Predicate Form
 Absolute Construction
with Participle
• The elevator being out of order, everyone had to
walk
• The rain having already begun, they decided to call
off the concert in the park.
 Absolute Construction
without Participle
Being is implied before the following
complements used as predicates of absolute
construction.

3. A predicate noun  His book now a bestseller,
he felt pleased with the
world.
A predicate adjective  His book now famous,
he felt pleased with the
world.
An adverb  His long work finally over ,
he felt pleased with the world.
A prepositional phrase  His book now on sale
at all bookstores, he felt
pleased with the world.

4. Function Of Absolute
Constructions

5. Kinds Of Time Expressed By
Participles In Absolute
Constructions
1. Present participle :
Present time : Her mother being away, she has to do all
the housework
Past time : Her mother being away, she had to
do all the housework
Future time : Dinner will be served outdoors,
weather permitting
2. Past participle :
Present time : She is walking along slowly, the infant held
tightly in her arms.
Past time : She walked along slowly, the infant
held tightly in her arms.
Future time : His book once published, he will never
have to worry about money again.

6. 3. Perfect participle :
 More vaccine had to be sent for, the epidemic
having spread at an alarming rate.
 The rebels having been defeated, the dictator
began to rebuild the towns that were destroyed in
the fighting.
 All flights having been canceled because of the
storm, they decided to take the train

7.  Personal pronoun “subjects” of absolute
constructions are more likely to occur in
conversational English than in formal English.
We divided the work, she taking one half and I
the rest.
He being sick, we’ll have to do his work.
 The expletives it and there may fill subject
position in an absolute construction.
It being Sunday, the stores were not open.
There having been some question about the
bookkeeper’s honesty, the company asked
him to resign.
“Subjects” In Absolute
Constructions

8. Possible Meanings Of Absolute
Constructions
1. Time
 In the sense of after
 Dinner (being) ready, the hostess asked her
guests to be seated.
 Day finally breaking, weresumed our long
automobil trip across the country
 In the sense of while
 The anthropologis questioned many of the
natives in that remote area, his host acting as
interpreter.
 Cleopatra sat resplendent on her throne, her
ladies-in-waiting grouped all around here.

9. 2. Cause
 The table not having been constructed properly.
One of the legs becom loose.
 With his wife sick in the hospital, hi is taking care
of the children alone.
Often an absolute construction, like a participial
phrase, may signify both time (in the sense of
after) and cause at once.

10. 3. Condition
 A riot once begun, our small police force will be
unable to handle it.
 He entered the room quickly, a smile on his lips
and a handshake for everyone.

11. THANKS