Absolute Phrase
"Six boys came over the hill half an hour early
that afternoon, running hard, their heads down,
their forearms working, their breath whistling."
(John Steinbeck, The Red Pony)
NOUN
VERB
“Noun + Verb(ing or ed)” pattern
What comes after the “+” could be an “-ing group” (present
participial phrase):
Nervous and buzzing on caffeine, Jane stood by the
window, her eyes darting around the room.
“The darling!” thought Newland Archer, his glance flitting
back to the young girl with the lilies-of-the-valley.
from The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
an “-ed group” (past participial phrase):
She walked indolently along, with a mind at rest, its
peace reflected in her innocent face.
from A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain