The document provides information about absolute phrases, including: - An absolute phrase consists of a noun followed by a participle (usually an -ing verb). - Examples of absolute phrases are given from sentences describing a bicyclist racing down a road and zooming in on specific nouns and their associated -ing verbs, such as "legs pumping" and "sweat dripping". - The document outlines different structures for absolute phrases, including using nouns with -ing, -ed, or -en verbs, adverbs, adjectives, prepositions, and possessive pronouns. Removing the verb "to be" from sentences can also create absolute phrases.

1. Absolute phrase

2. Definition
1. His heart beating very fast, Harry stood listening to the chilly silence. [noun - heart, participle - beating]
2. There, his black robes rippling in the breeze, stood Severus Snape. [noun - robes, participle - rippling]
“What writers do is find a smaller noun that’s in the ‘wide-angle shot’ of the sentence, and then they add an -
ing verb to that noun.” - Jeff Anderson - Mechanically Inclined
An absolute is a combination of a noun followed by a participle (usually an -ing ending word).
Here are some examples:
Teacher notes

3. Simple sentence starter
Simple sentence: The bicyclist raced down the road.
Let’s think about all the nouns we could zoom in on in this image and the -ing ending words that could go with them.
Nouns we see -ing verbs related to these nouns
pedals spinning, pumping, turning
hands gripping, gripping handlebars
wheels spinning, splashing, turning, skidding
face grunting, dripping with sweat
legs pumping, grinding
sweat dripping, soaking his shirt
Adapted from Harry Noden: Image Grammar (2011), and Mechanically Inclined by Jeff Anderson

4. Absolute added
Noun + participle (-ing word)
Nouns we see -ing verbs related to these nouns
pedals spinning, pumping, turning
hands gripping, gripping handlebars
wheels spinning, splashing, turning, skidding
face grunting, dripping with sweat,
covered in mud
legs pumping, standing, grinding
sweat dripping, soaking his shirt
Legs pumping, sweat dripping, the bicyclist raced
down the road.
The bicyclist raced down the road, legs pumping,
sweat dripping.
From Mechanically Inclined by Jeff Anderson, p80
Adapted from Harry Noden: Image Grammar (2011), and Mechanically Inclined by Jeff Anderson

5. Guided
For the image on the right you might write a sentence like this:
The waterfall roared.
2. Now think about what other nouns we could describe:
Nouns we see -ing words
waves crashing
mist spraying, flying,
water splashing, crushing
Adapted from Harry Noden: Image Grammar (2011), and Mechanically Inclined by Jeff Anderson
1. Create a short, simple sentence about the
image.

6. Guided
Our sentence now may be something like:
The waterfall roared, mist spraying, water crashing into the ocean below.
Adapted from Harry Noden: Image Grammar (2011), and Mechanically Inclined by Jeff Anderson
Nouns we see -ing words
waves crashing
mist spraying, flying,
water splashing, crushing
Now, let’s zoom in on real or imagined details in
the image and add it to our sentence.
The waterfall roared.

7. Guided
1. Create a short, simple sentence about the image
For the image on the right you might write a sentence like this:
The cowboy held on to the bucking bronco.
2. Now think about what other nouns we could describe
Adapted from Harry Noden: Image Grammar (2011), and Mechanically Inclined by Jeff Anderson
Nouns we see -ing words
legs squeezing
arms balancing
hands tightening
muscles aching

8. Guided
Now, let’s zoom in on real or imagined details and add it to our sentence.
Our sentence now may be something like:
His muscles aching, legs squeezing, the cowboy held on to the bucking bronco.
Nouns we see -ing words
legs squeezing
arms balancing
hands tightening
muscles aching
Adapted from Harry Noden: Image Grammar (2011), and Mechanically Inclined by Jeff Anderson

9. Independent
Lebron James dunks the ball
Now it’s your turn. Follow the same process we have done with the other examples.
1. Write a short simple sentence for the picture.
2. Zoom in on the nouns in the wide angle shot, and add -ing words to them
3. Add the noun and ing words (the absolute) to your sentence.
4. Share with the class.

10. Independent
Sumatran tiger
Now it’s your turn. Follow the same process we have done with the other examples.
1. Write a short simple sentence for the picture
2. Zoom in on the nouns in the wide angle shot and add -ing words to them
3. Add the noun and ing words (the absolute) to your sentence.
4. Share with the class.

11. Identify
In pairs, identify the absolute phrase in the following sentences:
1. Mrs Barnet, his face red and eyes bulging, immediately pounced on her.
2. Head down, tail flying, the young dog gave chase, swerving and tumbling in pursuit.
3. His heart beating very fast, Harry stood listening to the chilly silence.
4. Bull Number Two turned to face me, fire sputtering from the gash I'd cut in it's side.
5. Six boys came over the hill half an hour early that afternoon, running hard, their heads down, their forearms working,
their breath whistling.
6. Heart pounding, I looked down at Angela, who was staring up at us, her expression serious.

12. Identify
Answers
In pairs, identify the absolute phrase in the following sentences:
1. Mrs Barnet, his face red and eyes bulging, immediately pounced on her.
2. Head down, tail flying, the young dog gave chase, swerving and tumbling in pursuit.
3. His heart beating very fast, Harry stood listening to the chilly silence.
4. Bull Number Two turned to face me, fire sputtering from the gash I'd cut in it's side.
5. Six boys came over the hill half an hour early that afternoon, running hard, their heads down, their forearms working,
their breath whistling.
6. Heart pounding, I looked down at Angela, who was staring up at us, her expression serious.

13. Imitate
Imitate the model sentence below, then share your imitation with the class
Model: There, his black robes ripping on a cold breeze, stood Severus Snape
Sample imitation: Up high, his speckled feathers blending into the foliage, perched the kookaburra.

14. Imitate
Imitate the model sentence below, then share your imitation with the class
Model: His heart beating very fast, Harry stood listening to the chilly silence
Sample imitation: His mind racing, James stared blankly at the exam.

15. Absolute
Advanced detail

16. Advanced
There are many different structures for creating an absolute phrase. So far we have looked at the
NOUN + PARTICIPLE (-ing word) form.
One way to identify an absolute is that they often begin with these words:
my, his, its, our, their. These pronouns can be stated or implied.
Examples:
An old man was standing before them, wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of
the shop.
-HP and the Chamber of Secrets
The old willow tree as enormous, its sprawling branches going up like reaching arms with many

17. Advanced
Here are all the different structures for creating an absolute phrase.
1. Noun + an -ing, -ed, or -en verb (lip quivering, fist knotted, heart broken)
2. Noun + an adverb (head down, hat off )
3. Noun + an adjective (head sweaty, shirt white and crisp)
4. Noun + a preposition (pen in hand)
5. Preposition (usually with or like) + noun + any of the above variations (with hair
6. standing up on the back of her neck)
7. Possessive pronoun + noun + any of the above variations (his knees drawn to his
8. chest)

18. Top tip
Many sentences using the verb ‘to be’ can be made into an absolute phrase by removing the verb