The Absolute Participial Construction

The participle which is used as an adverbial adjunct to any verb may be preceded by a noun (in the common case) or a pronoun (in the nominative case) functioning as its subject. The whole construction is used as one sentence-component: an adverbial modifier of time, reason, condition, manner or attendant circumstances, and is called the absolute participial construction. It is separated by a comma from the main part of the sentence.

Her luggage registered, she went to the platform. (an adverbial modifier of time) – Коли її багаж зареєстрували, вона пішла на платформу.

Our teacher having fallen ill, we had no English class. (an adverbial modifier of reason) – Оскільки наш учитель захворів, у нас не було занять з англійської мови.

The show being not very long, we shall be able to get to the Petrovs in good time. (an adverbial modifier of condition) – Якщо сеанс буде не надто довгим, ми зможемо потрапити до Петрових вчасно.

We spent the summer in their cottage, they occupying the front room and we having the verandah at our disposal. (an adverbial modifier of attendant circumstances) – Ми провели літо на дачі, до того ж вони займали кімнату, а в нашому розпорядженні була веранда.

All forms of participle I are used in this construction as well as participle II.

The absolute participial construction is literary rather than colloquial.