A modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that provides additional information about another word in a sentence, typically a noun or a verb. Modifiers enhance, clarify, or limit the meaning of the word they describe.
1. Adjective Modifiers: Modify nouns or pronouns to describe qualities or characteristics. Example: The red car is mine.
2. Adverb Modifiers: Modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, often describing time, manner, degree, or frequency. Example: She sings beautifully.
3. Phrases as Modifiers: Adjective Phrases: Phrases that modify nouns. Example: The house with the blue roof is ours. Adverb Phrases: Phrases that modify verbs or adjectives. Example: She arrived in the morning.
4. Clauses as Modifiers: Adjective Clauses: Dependent clauses that modify nouns. Example: The boy who won the race is my friend. Adverb Clauses: Dependent clauses that modify verbs or adjectives. Example: She left because it was late.
5. Single-Word Modifiers: Adjectives and adverbs that act independently. Example: The happy child laughed loudly.
1. Place modifiers close to the word they modify Correct: The man wearing a hat walked into the room. Incorrect: The man walked into the room wearing a hat.
2. Avoid dangling modifiers Dangling Modifier: Running down the street, the house appeared enormous. Corrected: Running down the street, I noticed the house appeared enormous.
3. Avoid misplaced modifiers Misplaced Modifier: She almost drove her kids to school every day. Corrected: She drove her kids to school almost every day.
4. Ensure clarity with compound modifiers - Use hyphens for compound adjectives before a noun. Example: A well-written article.
1. Single-Word Modifier: Adjective: The large dog barked loudly. Adverb: She ran quickly to catch the bus.
2. Phrase Modifier: Prepositional Phrase: He sat on the bench. Infinitive Phrase: She has a plan to improve her skills.
3. Clause Modifier: Adjective Clause: The book that I borrowed is fascinating. Adverb Clause: I stayed home because it was raining.