Absolutes An absolute phrase consists of a sentence s subject and part of its predicate. Turn a sentence into an absolute phrase at the beginning or end of another sentence. His fingers rested on the piano keys. His fingers resting on the piano keys , William stared at the music before him. William stared at the music before him, his fingers resting on the piano keys .
Subordinates Make one sentence depend on another.
He did not hear the announcement of the exam. Because he overslept yesterday morning and missed class, he did not hear the announcement of the exam. America is overly dependent on foreign oil. Alternate sources of energy are now being sought. Since America is overly dependent on foreign oil, alternative sources of energy are now being sought.