Prepositional absolute constructions

§ 133. There are prepositional absolute constructions with participle I or II, with an infinitive, with an adjective, with a stative, with an adverb, or with a prepositional noun. All function mainly as adverbials of attendant circumstances, although sometimes they may be other adverbials. All of them can be transformed into clauses.

I. The prepositional absolute construction with participle I.

With his head aching from the slap of the bullet and the blood dripping over the ear, he went over to the

Frenchman ———> He went over to the Frenchman, his head was aching... and the blood was dripping...

(...голова у него болела... кровь сочилась.)

II. The prepositional absolute construction with participle II.

A Negro boy lay on the pavement, with his throat cut —— > ...and his throat was cut. (...с перерезанным горлом.)

III. The prepositional absolute construction with the infinitive.

You’ll lose the last minutes, without someone to take care of you ———>... if nobody takes care of you. (...если никто о тебе не позаботится.)

This construction is very seldom used.

IV. Prepositional absolute constructions with non-verbals.

1. The prepositional absolute construction with the adjective.

She hurriedly left the room with her eyes red ——— > ...and her eyes were red. (...и глаза у нее были

красные.)

2. The prepositional absolute construction with the stative.

He stood there trembling, with his face ablaze —— > ...and his face was ablaze. (...и лицо его

пылало.)

3. The prepositional absolute construction with the adverb.

He turned away, with his hand still up —— >...and his hand was still up. (... все еще не опуская руки.)

4. The prepositional absolute construction with a noun.

They marched towards the square, with little flags in their hands ——— > ...and there were little flags

in their hands. (...с флаж­ками в руках.)

The for-to -infinitive constructions

§ 134. The for - to -infinitive construction is expressed by a noun in the common case or a personal pronoun in the objective case and an infinitive with the particle to. It is introduced by the preposition for. The construction may function as different parts of the sentence:

1. Subject. In this function it usually follows introductory it and is very seldom placed before the predicate.

It was practically impossible for them to meet anybody.

For one to spend a summer with them was a wonderful experience.

2. Predicative. The usual link verb is to be, although other link verbs are also possible.

That is not for me to decide.

What it all means remains for an expert to say.

3. Object. The construction can be used as an indirect non-recipient object of certain verbs (to ask, to watch) and adjectives (anxious, eager, impatient, sorry, willing, etc.).

I watched for him to appear through the bushes.

Everybody was impatient for the experiment to begin.

4. Attribute. In this function it modifies nouns or indefinite, negative, and universal pronouns.

She gave orders for everyone to stop packing.

There was nothing for him to say.

5. Adverbial modifier:

a) of purpose.

I rang for you to show the lady out.

Unlike the infinitive, the for-to -construction in this function can be placed only after the predicate.

b) of consequence.

The chance was too good for Jack to miss it.

The real cause of the explosion was evident enough for everyone to discuss it.

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