Forming the ablative absolute is not unlike an ‘equation’ i.e. there is a consistent step-by-step way of creating it. Examples:
- With [1] the city ¦ [2] having been captured
[i] Begin with the nominative singular:
[1] city [2] captured
> [1] urbs [2] capta i.e. the perfect passive participle, the fourth principal part of the verb < capiō, capere, cēpī, captus
[ii] Transfer both words into the ablative case:
> [1] urbe [2] captā = ablative absolute = with the city having been captured
- With the brother | having been killed.
[i] Begin with the nominative singular:
[1] brother [2] killed
> [1] frāter [2] necātus < necō, -āre, -āvī, necātus
[ii] Transfer both words into the ablative case:
> [1] frātre [2] necātō = ablative absolute = with the brother having been killed
The same approach would also apply to ablative absolutes with plural nouns or pronouns:
- With the soldiers | having been killed.
[i] nominative plural:
[1] soldiers [2] killed
> [1] mīlitēs [2] necātī
[ii] Transfer both words into the ablative case:
> [1] mīlitibus [2] necātīs = ablative absolute = with the soldiers having been killed