Identify the grammatically correct nominative absolute construction:
________, the botanical survey of the remote highland plateau proceeded according to schedule.
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: C. Weather permitting
Answer: Weather permitting. Why not the others: 'Permitting the weather' reverses the subject-participle order and implies the survey permits weather; 'The weather had permitted' is a finite clause lacking a subordinating conjunction, creating a comma splice; 'Permitted by weather' creates an ungrammatical passive modifier for the survey.
- Step 1: Identify the structure: an absolute construction consists of a noun phrase plus a participle that has its own independent subject and is not grammatically attached to the main clause subject.
- Step 2: The conventional nominative absolute idiom expressing a contingency condition is 'Weather permitting' (noun 'weather' + present participle 'permitting').
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