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The word “modify” has a working definition of “to change or alter something.” When it comes to the function of modifiers in a sentence, the definition is the same.
In order to provide emphasis, clarification, or detail, a modifier modifies, clarifies, qualifies, or limits a specific word in a statement. Descriptive words, such as adjectives and adverbs, are commonly used as modifiers. Adjective clauses and adverbial phrases are examples of modifier phrases that are used to describe adjectives and adverbs.
Phrases modifier
A phrase modifier is a word/clause that affects the meaning of other words in a sentence. An adjective or an adverb serves as a modifier. Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, whereas adjectives change nouns.
Pre-modifiers
Pre-modifiers are words that alter nouns or verbs that come after them in the phrase. Articles, determiners, demonstratives, proper adjectives, descriptive adjectives, compound adjectives, participles, and other adjectives are commonly employed as pre-modifiers before nouns.
Post-modifiers
Post-modifiers are words that come after verbs in a phrase. Adverbs of manner, adverbs of time, and adverbs of location/direction are usually placed after the verbs they modify.
A word/phrase/clause
One set of options is whether or not to include an idea or a part of an idea in a word, phrase, or clause. The most challenging task is expressing a part of an idea in a single word (or brief phrase). An idea can be alternatively expressed using a gerund or participial or adjective phrase.
a word
a speech sound or set of speech sounds that represents and communicates a meaning without being divided into smaller components which can be used independently.
phrase
a set of words that make up a portion of a statement rather than the entire sentence.
Phrase with a noun
“Buy a large brilliant green pleasure machine!” says the narrator. — “The Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine,” Paul Simon, 1966
Verb Phrase
“It’s possible that your father will be gone for a time.” ― Ellen Griswold in the 1983 film “Vacation”
Phrase with an Adjective
“Speaking the truth is usually the best policy—unless, of course, you are an incredibly brilliant liar.” — “The Idler,” February 1892, Jerome K. Jerome
Phrase with an Adverb
“Hate-fueled movements quickly adopt the qualities of the thing they oppose.” — “The Observer,” May 4, 1986, J. S. Habgood
Phrase with a Preposition
“I’d be willing to dance with you till the cows came home. Now that I think about it, I’d rather dance with the cows till you get home.” —Groucho Marx in the 1933 film “Duck Soup”
Clause
A clause is a collection of words that includes a subject and a verb.
A simple sentence is an independent clause. It is self-contained. ex- She is hungry.
A dependent clause is unable to stand alone. To complete a sentence, it requires an independent clause. Although, since, if, when, and because are frequently used in dependent clauses. Ex- Although she is hungry …
Main clause: A subject and a verb are found in the main clause of a sentence. It can be used by itself or in conjunction with a subordinate clause to convey further information. The concise sentence “Drops dripped” in Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace is an example of an exceedingly short, basic main clause. The noun “drops” is combined with the verb “dripped” to form the main phrase. A compound sentence can include two major clauses connected by a comma and coordinating conjunction, each of which might stand alone.
Subordinate clause: A subordinate clause is a subsidiary clause that is linked to the main sentence by a subordinate conjunction such as “because,” “as,” or “while.” Coordinating conjunctions like “or,” “but,” or “but” can connect a subordinate sentence to the main clause. A subordinate clause may be the main clause without the conjunction, but the subordinate conjunction makes it an incomplete notion.
Dependent clause: A dependent clause, also known as an adverbial clause, connects to the main phrase using a relative pronoun such as “who,” “whom,” “whose,” “which,” or “that,” or a relative adverb such as “when,” “where,” or “why.
Noun clause: A noun clause is a clause that takes the place of a single noun. “The gold medal goes to the winner,” for example, can be rephrased as “The gold medal goes to whoever wins the race.” “Whoever wins the race” is the noun phrase, which replaced the noun “the winner.”
Adjective or an adverb
A word that modifies a noun or pronoun is called an adjective. An adjective’s main function is to characterize a noun or pronoun by describing its properties or offering further information.
A word that modifies a verb, an adjective, a sentence, or even another adverb is called an adverb. Adverbs, in general, provide more information that answers questions like When? Where are you going? What do you mean? and why is that? In the sentence Ann walked slowly, for example, the adverb slowly describes how Ann walked: she took her time and didn’t rush.
Conclusion
The easiest technique to make sure a limited modifier is used correctly in a sentence is to think about the meaning you want to express and make sure the subject or word connected with that meaning is put as close to the limited modifier as feasible.
