Unlock hundreds more features
Save your Quiz to the Dashboard
View and Export Results
Use AI to Create Quizzes and Analyse Results

OR
Sign inSign in with Facebook
Sign inSign in with Google
Quizzes > High School Quizzes > Electives

3.01 Participial and Absolute Phrases Practice Quiz

Master participial and absolute phrases with focused practice

Difficulty: Moderate
Grade: Grade 9
Study OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art depicting a trivia quiz called Phrasing in Action for high school language arts students.

Identify the participial phrase in the sentence: 'The cat, hiding under the sofa, jumped out unexpectedly.'
hiding under the sofa
The cat
under the sofa
jumped out unexpectedly
The phrase 'hiding under the sofa' begins with the participle 'hiding' and functions as an adjective describing 'the cat.' The other options do not serve as a participial phrase.
What is a participial phrase?
A phrase that functions as a noun.
A phrase that provides the time of an event.
A phrase that begins with a verb in its -ing or past participle form that functions as an adjective.
A clause that acts as a complete sentence.
A participial phrase starts with a present or past participle and functions as an adjective modifying a noun. The other choices describe different grammatical structures.
Which sentence contains an absolute phrase?
Exhausted from the run, she collapsed.
The barking dog scared the neighbors.
Weather permitting, the event will be held outdoors.
Studying hard, he achieved high scores.
The phrase 'Weather permitting' is an absolute phrase because it provides independent contextual information and is not directly attached to a specific noun. The other sentences either use participial phrases or do not include such a structure.
In the sentence 'Shivering in the cold, the dancer continued her performance,' what role does the participial phrase 'Shivering in the cold' play?
It modifies the verb 'continued'.
It functions as a predicate.
It replaces the subject.
It modifies the subject 'the dancer'.
The phrase 'Shivering in the cold' directly describes 'the dancer' by acting as an adjective. It explains the condition of the dancer during her performance.
Identify the type of phrase in the sentence: 'Her eyes wide with surprise, she gasped at the news.'
Appositive phrase
Infinitive phrase
Participial phrase
Absolute phrase
The phrase 'Her eyes wide with surprise' stands independently and provides additional descriptive context to the sentence overall, making it an absolute phrase. It is not directly modifying a specific noun as a participial phrase would.
Which of the following sentences contains a misplaced participial phrase?
Walking through the park, the flowers bloomed beautifully.
Walking through the park, she admired the flowers.
Roaring loudly, the lion claimed its territory.
The car, speeding down the highway, struck a tree.
In the first option, 'Walking through the park' is misplaced because it appears to modify 'the flowers,' which cannot logically walk. The other sentences correctly associate the participial phrase with the intended subject.
Which sentence best demonstrates an absolute phrase?
His homework complete, John went out to play.
The dog barked at the mailman.
Dancing gracefully, she entertained the audience.
Laughing at the joke, the comedian took a bow.
The sentence 'His homework complete, John went out to play.' includes an absolute phrase that provides background detail on the state of his homework without directly modifying a single noun. This distinguishes it from participial phrases in the other sentences.
Consider the sentence: 'The man, exhausted from the journey, collapsed on the floor.' What is the role of the participial phrase 'exhausted from the journey'?
It acts as an adverb modifying 'collapsed'.
It acts as an adjectival modifier for 'the man'.
It is a predicate nominative.
It serves as an appositive phrase.
The participial phrase 'exhausted from the journey' provides a description of 'the man' by acting as an adjective. It does not modify the verb or serve any other grammatical role in the sentence.
Which punctuation is correctly used with an absolute phrase in a sentence?
No punctuation is allowed with absolute phrases.
A colon must precede the absolute phrase.
A semicolon must follow the absolute phrase.
Commas set the absolute phrase off from the main clause.
Absolute phrases are typically set off by commas to indicate that they provide additional, non-essential information. The other punctuation marks are not standard for introducing or closing absolute phrases.
Which sentence uses a participial phrase most effectively?
Glittering under the sun, the diamonds on the table dazzled everyone.
Running quickly, the smartphone hit the table.
The bird flying high in the sky sings beautifully.
Laughing, his car drove away.
In the first sentence, 'Glittering under the sun' is a participial phrase that clearly and effectively modifies 'the diamonds,' enhancing the visual description. The other options either misplace the modifier or create confusion about the subject.
Identify the error in the sentence: 'Screaming at the top of his lungs, the assignment was completed by Mark in an hour.'
Misplaced comma
Dangling participial phrase
Incorrect verb tense
No error
The participial phrase 'Screaming at the top of his lungs' is intended to modify Mark, but it incorrectly appears to modify 'the assignment.' This makes it a dangling participial phrase that creates confusion about who is performing the action.
Which option best revises a sentence with a dangling participle? Original: 'Running late, the bus was missed by the student.'
The student was late, running, and missed the bus.
The bus, running late, was missed.
Running late, the bus was missed.
Running late, the student missed the bus.
Option one correctly revises the sentence by linking the participial phrase 'Running late' to 'the student,' eliminating the dangling modifier. The other revisions do not resolve the misattachment or create awkward phrasing.
Absolute phrases differ from participial phrases because absolute phrases ___.
Always contain a modal verb.
Provide context for the entire sentence and are not directly connected grammatically to the main clause.
Modify only nouns.
Serve as the main predicate in a sentence.
Absolute phrases add contextual detail to the entire sentence without directly modifying a specific noun, unlike participial phrases which function as adjectives. This independence is a key characteristic of absolute phrases.
In the absolute phrase 'Her arms folded neatly,' what is the role of 'folded'?
Adjective modifying 'arms'
Participle forming part of a participial phrase.
Noun serving as the subject.
Principal verb in the sentence.
In 'Her arms folded neatly,' the word 'folded' functions as a participial adjective describing 'arms' within the absolute phrase. It is not acting as the main verb or as a standalone noun.
Which sentence contains an absolute phrase that adds extra information without modifying a specific word in the main clause?
The cake decorating was exquisite.
Running swiftly, she crossed the finish line.
Boasting loudly, he accepted the prize.
The car, engine roaring, sped away.
The sentence 'The car, engine roaring, sped away.' uses the absolute phrase 'engine roaring' to provide additional description without directly modifying a single noun from the main clause. The other options predominantly use participial phrases.
Analyze the sentence: 'The professor, his eyes fixed on the chalkboard, explained the theorem.' Identify the phrase type and its function.
It is an appositive phrase providing alternative identification.
It is a participial phrase modifying 'the professor'.
It is an absolute phrase providing additional background information about the professor.
It is a participial phrase functioning as an adverb.
The phrase 'his eyes fixed on the chalkboard' gives extra background about the professor's state rather than directly modifying his noun in an adjectival manner. This independent descriptive detail classifies it as an absolute phrase.
Evaluate the sentence: 'Lights flashing, sirens blaring, the scene was chaotic.' What role do the phrases 'Lights flashing' and 'sirens blaring' play?
They are compound adjectives describing a noun.
They are subordinate clauses modifying the predicate.
They are two separate participial phrases modifying 'the scene'.
They are coordinate absolute phrases that set the scene.
Both 'Lights flashing' and 'sirens blaring' act as absolute phrases that independently add descriptive context to the sentence. They are not directly connected to the noun 'scene,' but rather set the overall tone.
Given the sentence: 'Battered by time, the old book still held many secrets,' what literary effect does the participial phrase 'Battered by time' have on the noun 'the old book'?
It provides essential information about the book's condition.
It acts as an interjection.
It serves as the main predicate of the sentence.
It undermines the significance of the book.
The participial phrase 'Battered by time' enriches the description of 'the old book' by emphasizing its worn condition. This detailed imagery adds depth and sets a specific tone for the sentence.
In complex sentences, what is the main difference in function between participial phrases and absolute phrases?
Participial phrases are used to modify the entire sentence, absolute phrases only modify nouns.
Participial phrases act as adjectives modifying specific nouns, whereas absolute phrases provide a general commentary on the whole sentence.
Participial phrases always modify verbs, while absolute phrases modify adjectives.
There is no significant difference.
Participial phrases directly modify nouns or pronouns as adjectives, while absolute phrases deliver additional, independent context to the sentence as a whole. This distinction is key when analyzing complex sentence structures.
Examine this sentence: 'Eyes glistening, and hearts pounding, the athletes awaited their turn; their determination fierce.' Which construction concepts are demonstrated in this sentence?
The use of participial phrases only.
A combination of absolute and appositive phrases.
The use of both participial and absolute phrases to add descriptive detail.
The use of absolute phrases only.
The sentence employs absolute phrases such as 'Eyes glistening' and 'hearts pounding' to impart descriptive detail without directly modifying a specific noun. This independent descriptive structure is typical of absolute phrases.
0
{"name":"Identify the participial phrase in the sentence: 'The cat, hiding under the sofa, jumped out unexpectedly.'", "url":"https://www.quiz-maker.com/QPREVIEW","txt":"Identify the participial phrase in the sentence: 'The cat, hiding under the sofa, jumped out unexpectedly.', What is a participial phrase?, Which sentence contains an absolute phrase?","img":"https://www.quiz-maker.com/3012/images/ogquiz.png"}

Study Outcomes

  1. Analyze the structure and function of participial phrases in sentences.
  2. Identify participial and absolute phrases within varied text examples.
  3. Apply knowledge of phrasing to construct sentences using participial phrases effectively.
  4. Evaluate the clarity and impact of absolute phrases in enhancing sentence meaning.
  5. Synthesize strategies to refine sentence structure through the appropriate use of phrasing.

3.01 Quiz: Participial & Absolute Phrases Cheat Sheet

  1. Understand Participial Phrases - Participial phrases start with a participle (a verb acting like an adjective) and add colorful details by modifying a noun or pronoun. They help paint vivid scenes - think "Walking through the park" in "Walking through the park, Sarah enjoyed the crisp morning air." Play around with them to spice up your writing! CliffsNotes
    2. CliffsNotes Study Notes
  2. Recognize Absolute Phrases - Absolute phrases pair a noun with a participle to provide extra context for the whole sentence, without directly modifying a single word. For example, "The sun having risen, we set out on our journey" gives us the timing background in one neat package. They're like little storytelling bonuses! EnglishGrammar.org
    3. EnglishGrammar.org Absolute Phrases Guide
  3. Differentiate Participial vs. Absolute Phrases - While participial phrases zero in on a specific noun or pronoun, absolute phrases set the stage for the entire sentence. Mastering this difference amps up your writing clarity and variety. It's like choosing whether to spotlight one actor or direct the whole scene! CliffsNotes
    4. CliffsNotes Study Notes
  4. Placement of Participial Phrases - These phrases can kick off, interrupt, or wrap up a sentence, but they must hug the noun they modify to avoid confusion. For instance, "Frustrated by the delay, the passengers began to complain" correctly places the phrase next to "the passengers." Correct placement keeps your reader on track! CliffsNotes
    5. CliffsNotes Study Notes
  5. Placement of Absolute Phrases - Absolute phrases can also appear at the start, middle, or end of a sentence and are usually set off with commas. In "The storm having passed, the sky was clear," the phrase at the beginning offers a crisp background. Comma placement is your friend here! CliffsNotes
    6. CliffsNotes Study Notes
  6. Use Commas Correctly - Both participial and absolute phrases need commas to separate them from the main clause, which boosts readability. For example: "Her hands shaking with excitement, Maria opened the acceptance letter." Those commas make the sentence flow smoothly! CliffsNotes
    7. CliffsNotes Study Notes
  7. Avoid Dangling Modifiers - Make sure your participial phrase clearly modifies the intended noun to steer clear of confusion. "Running for the bus, he dropped his backpack" correctly links the action to "he." Clear connections = clear writing! CliffsNotes
    8. CliffsNotes Study Notes
  8. Enhance Writing with Absolute Phrases - Absolute phrases add depth by offering extra context or background information. "The wind howling through the trees, the campers huddled inside the tent" instantly paints a vivid scene. They're your secret ingredient for storytelling flair! CliffsNotes
    9. CliffsNotes Study Notes
  9. Practice Identifying Phrases - Sharpen your skills by hunting for participial and absolute phrases in texts you read every day. The more you spot them, the easier it is to use them yourself - and to catch slip‑ups in your own writing. Turn it into a game for extra fun! CliffsNotes
    10. CliffsNotes Study Notes
  10. Apply Phrases in Writing - Experiment with sprinkling participial and absolute phrases into your essays, stories, or even social‑media posts. Adding these can transform flat sentences into engaging mini‑movies. Go ahead - make your writing shine with some phrase power! CliffsNotes
    11. CliffsNotes Study Notes
Make a Quiz (FREE) Copy & Edit This Quiz Create a Quiz with AI

Electives Quizzes

Powered by: Quiz Maker