What is charterers contribution clause?

What type of clause or phrase are in Quotes in the sentences below?

• 1. "Jumping across the ditch", the fire threatened our house. a.appositive b.adverb clause c.infinitive d.adjective clause e.present participial phrase 2."The fishing having become so poor", we packed up camp and moved to another lake. a.past participial phrase b.noun clause c.adverb clause d.nominative absolute e.ellipitical clause 3.The driver, "confused by the sign", made a wrong turn. a.past participial phrase b.noun clause c.adverb clause d.nominative absolute e.ellipitical clause 4.Whenever "I can come" will be soon enough for the race. a.past participial phrase b.noun clause c.adverb clause d.nominative absolute e.ellipitical clause 5.We hit a snag "while rowing" to shore. a.past participial phrase b.noun clause c.adverb clause d.nominative absolute e.ellipitical clause

• Answer:

  1. e. present participial phrase Please see: http://www.grammar.com/Punctuation/WordDocuments/gloss_presentparticipialphrase.htm 2. d.nominative absolute Please see: http://englishplus.com/grammar/00000390.htm 3. a.past participial phrase Please see: http://www.grammar.com/Punctuation/WordDocuments/gloss_pastparticipialphrase.htm 4. c.adverb clause Please see: http://englishplus.com/grammar/00000317.htm and http://englishplus.com/grammar/00000010.htm 5. e.ellipitical clause [Note: Inasmuch as the other choices are incorrect, the answer would appear to be an unlikely elliptical clause with part of the verb form missing (while *we were* rowing...). I should add that "while rowing" appears to be a present participial phrase; however, that choice is not present.] Good luck!