Absolute Phrases: How To

Name: ____________________________________________Date:
____________
Group discussion: What do the following groups of words have in common? (Feel free to take
notes)
1.
2.
3.
4.

Eyes wide, mouth open

Body quaking, hands trembling
Radiator rattling, engine coughing
Head back, hands raised

Group discussion: What do the following groups of words have in common? (Feel free to take
notes)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

The sun having risen

The night being filled with strange sounds
The apple having been poisoned
The night being filled with strange sounds
The road having been blocked

How To: begin to make them on your own:

1. Choose a list of nouns that have moving parts in them: people, characters, animals.
Create three ideas of your own in the blanks.
a. The Brothers Grimm, Charles Perrault, J.K. Rowling
b. Hercules, Cinderella, Rapunzel
c. Dragon, bat, dog, goat, wolf, pig
d. Cars, computer, house, carriage, bridge, castle
e.
f.
g.
2. Choose one noun from your list and then make a list of all of the moving parts in that
person, place, or thing and again fill in the blank with your ideas.
a. Mouth opens
b. Wings flap
c. Nostrils flare
d. Feet shuffle
e. Tail whips
f.
g.
h.

3. Choose one or several parts of the person, place, or thing that moves and add a present or
past participle (-ing, -ed) to it (separate absolute phrases with commas). I want to see you
write a few sentences of your own in the blanks.
a. Head raised, nostrils flaring, wings flapping, feet shuffling, the dragon roared
b.
c.
d.
e.
4. Variations to consider in your sentences:
a. Noun + participle (-ing, -ed)
b. Noun + adverb
c. Noun + adjective
d. Noun + preposition

Absolute Phrases Practice & Quiz Name: _______________ Date:_____ Prd.____

Add absolute phrases to the following sentences. For sentences 1-4, add absolute
phrases that describe the noun (noun + participle or adjective); for sentences 5-7,
add absolute phrases that show cause.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

___________________________________________, the queen cackled.

___________________________________________, the giant bellowed.
___________________________________________, the hen squawked.
___________________________________________, the troll wept.
___________________________________________, the carriage stopped.
___________________________________________, the wolf growled.
___________________________________________, Cinderella danced.

Explain the reason for using absolute phrases in your writing.

__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

Gerund Phrases Practice

Name: __________________ Date: ____________ Period:_______
Lets try your hand at making your own gerund phrases. Why, might you ask? When we as
writers include gerund phrases, it shows our reader that we know how to vary sentence structure.
We keep them on their toes so that they dont get bored. So, lets practice shall we?
Only practice with parts 1-4. Parts 5 and 6 are just for your consideration.
Remember:
Gerund Phrase: a group of words that acts like a noun. Gerund phrases begin with an ing
word; the ing word is usually followed by a noun or prepositional phrase. Gerund phrases
can be the subject of the sentence, the subjective compliment (if they follow a linking verb),
the direct object (if they follow an action verb), or the object of a preposition.
1. Think of ing words that can act like nouns: running, jumping, eating, fleeing, staring,
holding, crossing, sleeping, and so on.
a.
b.
c.
d.
2. Think of the persons or animals that you associate with those ing words: coyote, frog,
Jack Sprat, etc.
a.
b.
c.
d.
3. Write a sentence that uses the ing words (you can add more words after the ing word)
and is followed by a linking verb. These phrases will be subjects of the sentences.
a. Running a marathon was something the ogre would never do.
b. Jumping from pad to pad is the frogs favorite version of an aerobic workout.
c. Staring into the eyes of a dragon can be frightening.
d.
e.
f.
g.
4. Gerund phrases can also be the objects of sentences that have action verbs as part of the
predicate (the verb, though, usually shows something the subject of the sentence liked or
disliked).
a. Harry Potter loved playing magical games.
b. Baba Yaga disliked having unwelcome visitors.
c. The wolf relished eating fresh bacon.
d.
e.
5. Gerund phrases can also be the objects of prepositions; usually the prepositions follow
action verbs that are part of the predicate.
a. Hercules excelled at completing superhuman tasks.
6. Gerund phrases can also be subjective complements when they follow a linking verb.
a. Hercules favorite thing is pumping iron.

Gerund Phrases Quiz Name: __________________ Date: ____________ Period:_______

What is a gerund phrase?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Why is it important that we know what it is and how to use it?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
In the sentences below, mark a Y if a sentence does have a gerund phrase and place an N if there
is not a gerund phrase present in the sentence. There are four that do have them and four that do
not.
1. Walking briskly, the college girl almost fell on the ice. ________
2. People do not understand how hard students have to work these days. ________
3. Why arent we doing our English homework right now? asked Jenny. ________
4. Where is that ogre hiding his onions? ________
5. Running is Johns favorite thing to do. ________
6. Lets go to the river tomorrow. ________
7. I dont get out of bed if the temperature is below my age.-Ellen DeGeneres ________
8. The cute girl from Fort Collins said, Call me!. ________

Infinitive Phrases Practice

Name: __________________ Date: ____________ Period:_______

Finish the sentences. A verb should follow each phrase.

1. To spin straw into golden thread_____________________________________________.
a. Example: To spin straw into golden thread was what the weavers daughter
wanted.
2. To hoard gold ____________________________________________________________.
3. To get to grandmothers house_______________________________________________.
4. To be the fairest in the land _________________________________________________.
5. To climb a beanstalk ______________________________________________________.

Infinitive Phrases Quiz

Name: __________________ Date: ____________ Period:_______

Underline, circle, or highlight the infinitive phrase in the following sentences.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

To walk to the park was the girls wish.

The girl hates to tell lies.
The wicked stpesisters had a dress to suit every situation.
Need to go to the store.
To love was her only dream.
To sing jazz tunes was something the ogre longed to do.
To go hungry would be a shame.
Dorothy patiently listened to the Munchkins to mollify them.

Why should we know what an infinitive phrase is and how to use it?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Participial Phrases Practice- Name: __________________ Date: ____________ Period:_______

Add two or three participial phrases to each of the following sentences. Be sure to tell, with the
ing phrases, what the subject is doing.
1. ________________________________________________________________________
the giant fell asleep.
a. Example: Yawning widely, stretching his arms grotesquely, and sighing deeply,
the giant fell asleep.
2. ________________________________________________________________________
the weavers daughter wept.
3. ________________________________________________________________________
the wizened old man vanished.
4. ________________________________________________________________________
the queen stepped into the room.
5. ________________________________________________________________________
the princess looked at her broken crown.
6. ________________________________________________________________________
Rapunzel ran to the window.
7. ________________________________________________________________________
the dwarf was a great cook.
8. The ogre ________________________________________________________________
stomped into the room.
9. The mean queen, _________________________________________________________
grabbed the magic mirror.
10. The elf, _________________________________________________________________
couldnt believe his eyes.

Participial Phrases Quiz- Name: __________________ Date: ____________ Period:_______

Rewrite the sentences so that they make more sense.
*For example I may give you: bellowing, fuming, and snorting smoke, the forest was burned.
*You should rewrite the sentence to say something like: bellowing, fuming, and snorting smoke,
the dragon watched the forest burn.
-----The second one makes more sense because the smoke doesnt bellow, fume, and snort, but
the dragon does. Make sure each of your sentences has an appropriate subject.
1. Shattered beyond repair, the ogre spotted his favorite mug on the floor.

2. Bolted with a padlock, the prince could not open the castle door.

3. Smiling a smile as large as the mood, the music played while the princess danced.

4. Shaking and sweating with fear, the wolf approached as the first pig watched with wide
eyes.

5. Holding his breath, the room filled with smoke as the prince tried to escape.

Why does this matter? Why should we write using participial phrases?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________