Absolute Phrase

A group of words consisting of a noun or pronoun AND a participle!

There can be other words in the sentence.

They are ALWAYS set off from the rest of the sentence with a comma or pair of commas.

Absolute phrases are valuable because they provide layers of detail in our sentences.

YES! Absolute phrases simply add detail to a sentence but is NOT necessary information for the sentence to make sense.

Their minds whirling from the avalanche of information provide by Mrs. Welty, the students left the classroom in a daze.

Noun= minds

whirling = participle

The italicized part still makes sense on its own.

His head pounding, his hands shaking, the young man knelt and proposed marriage to his girlfriend.

What are the two nouns?

Head and Hands

What are the two participles?

Pounding and shaking

What are the absolute phrases?

Knees knocking & palms sweating

An absolute phrase is a phrase that modifies the entire clause.

An absolute phrase has a noun in it.

A participial phrase does NOT have a noun in it.