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Deepcove Posted 20 years ago
Grammar

Absolute structure

Anybody is familiar with this grammar point? Please explain it briefly. Are there any good reference websites or materials on the internet? I appreciate your help.
  

Top answer

Hi Deepcove The only 'absolute' thing in English grammar I am familiar with is the absolute superlative, but since there are many users of English in many parts of the world, there may be other 'absolutes' as well. You'll learn more about the absolute superlative if you can find a grammar book explaining the comparison of adjectives in English. Some examples: This is most interesting.

— Cool Breeze

  • Hi Deepcove The only 'absolute' thing in English grammar I am familiar with is the absolute superlative, but since there are many users of English in many parts of the world, there may be other 'absolutes' as well.
  • You'll learn more about the absolute superlative if you can find a grammar book explaining the comparison of adjectives in English.
  • Some examples: This is most interesting.
  • This is a most interesting book.
  • These are most interesting books.
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7 Answers
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Hi Deepcove

The only 'absolute' thing in English grammar I am familiar with is the absolute superlative, but since there are many users of English in many parts of the world, there may be other 'absolutes' as well. You'll learn more about the absolute superlative if you can find a grammar book explaining the comparison of adjectives in English.

Some examples:

This is mo
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If I remember rightly from my Latin studies (40 years ago!), an absolute form is one not related grammatically to the subject, object or anything else in the main part of the sentence. For example, "our work being finished, we went home". This could be converted into a non-absolute form as "having finished our work, we went home", as the "having" is connected with the subject "we".
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Hi J Lewis

Your explanation makes sense. As a matter of fact, I also studied Latin about 40 years ago, and still have my book, but it doesn't seem to recognize the term 'absolute structure'. That doesn't mean the term is incorrect or doesn't exist. No, no. It is quite common that terminology varies from country to country.

Thanks for your interesting reply.

Cheers
C
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J Lewis is referring to an absolute phrase, which, as he said, relates to or modifies the entire sentence. I just learned about this a few days ago and covered it in this post on my blog: English Grammar: Types of Phrases. You'll find "absolute phrase" at the end of th
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The absolute phrase is not modified one word but the entire clause or sentence. It always has a noun and a modifier.

A modifier could be a participal, participal phrases or verbal phrases.

for example,

Their tasks having been accomplished, the committee adjourned for the day.

The child cried pitifully, his head beneath the pillow.
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Just a note for Cool Breeze about terminology: in Latin this structure is known as an "ablative absolute". An example is the famous "Mutatis mutandis".
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J LewisJust a note for Cool Breeze about terminology: in Latin this structure is known as an "ablative absolute". An example is the famous "Mutatis mutandis".
Indeed! My Latin grammar book contains two pages of ablativus absolutus. I had forgotten all about it although many Latin words are embedded in my mind mostly because they have made their way
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