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     Table of Contents Chapter 33 33.10.2 Absolute participle as adverbial qualification of mode
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Chapter 33: Participles, Gerund and Infinitive constructions

  33.10.2 Absolute participle as adverbial qualification of mode

The absolute participle can describe how things are done (= adverbial qualification of mode).

Some examples  
  * Die Tür mit einem Hammer einschlagend, schafften sie es, das Haus zu betreten.
= Crashing the door with a hammer, they succeeded to enter the house.
  Sie schlugen mit einem Hammer die Tür ein und betraten das Haus.
= They crashed the door with a hammer and entered the house.
  * Die Gefahr kennend, unternahmen sie die Reise.
= Knowing the danger they started the journey.
  In Kenntnis der Gefahr unternahmen sie die Reise.
= Even though they knew the danger they started the journey.
 

* Auf die andere Seite schauend, konnte er nicht sehen, was vor sich ging.
= Looking on the other side he could not see what happened.

 

Da er auf die andere Seite schaute, konnte er nicht sehen, was vor sich ging.
= Since he was looking on the other side, he could not see what happened.


* Here we have again examples that are not very usual in spoken German language. Still they are possible in written or poetic language.
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