What are modifiers in English grammar?

 

Modifiers are used in English, especially in writing. As the name implies, modifiers are words or phrases that “modify”, clarify, qualify, alter or limit another word within the sentence. Most modifiers are descriptive words like adjectives or adverbs, which provide more detail about the verbs or nouns in the sentence.

In general, modifiers are used to add additional information, explain, detail, or emphasize, and the proper use of modifiers is essential to write correctly in English and create fluid, clear and error-free texts. Otherwise, modifiers can completely change the sense and meaning of a sentence, or even distort it.

Types of modifiers

There are different types of modifiers according to their position, meaning and function within the sentence.

premodifiers and postmodifiers

Depending on their position within the sentence with respect to the head , which is usually the main noun, modifiers are classified as:

• Premodifiers or premodifiers: these modifiers appear before the head of the sentence. They can be: articles; demonstrative, proper, descriptive and compound adjectives; and some adverbs.
• Postmodifiers or postmodifiers: they are the modifiers that are behind the nucleus of the sentence. They are usually adverbs of time, manner, place / direction. Although the most common is that they are adverbs, they can also be adjectives, infinitives, dependent clauses, etc.

For example:

• This little cute teddy bear which you bought./ “This cute little teddy bear you bought.”

In this case, teddy bear is the core of the sentence. Little and cute are premodifiers and which is a postmodifier.

Restrictive and non-restrictive modifiers

According to their meaning and importance in the sentence, modifiers are divided into:

• restrictive modifiers or restrictive modifiers: they are essential for the meaning of the sentence.
• Non restrictive modifiers or non-restrictive modifiers: they are elements that are included additionally in the sentence but are not essential.

For example:

• My friend who lives in Madrid is going to Barcelona tomorrow. / “My friend who lives in Madrid will go to Barcelona tomorrow”.
• My friend Carlos, who lives in Madrid, is going to Barcelona tomorrow. / “My friend Carlos, who lives in Madrid, will go to Barcelona tomorrow”.

In the first sentence of the example, the modifier, which is underlined, is essential to identify which friend I am referring to. On the other hand, in the second sentence, the modifier is not essential, but rather provides extra information, because it is already known which friend it is.

Adjective and adverbial modifiers

Modifiers can fulfill the functions of:

• Adjectives or adjectives: they modify nouns and pronouns.
• Adverbs or adverbs: modify the verbs.

Adjective modifiers

Among the modifiers that fulfill the function of adjectives, they can include:

• Single-word modifiers : i.e. single-word modifiers.
• Articles: a, an /
• Common adjectives: cheap / "cheap"; big / “great”; nice / “pleasant”.
• Possessive determiners: my / “my”; yours / “you, your”; his from her, her From her / “his”; our / “our”.
• Demonstrative determiners: this / “this, this”; that / "that, that"; those / “those, those”

• • Quantifiers: many / "many"; three / “three”; some / “some”.
  • Interrogative adjectives: what / "what"; which / “which”.
• Adjectival phrases or adjective phrases: they are modifiers that include two or more words.
  • Phrases with an adjective: the very small / “the very small”; this really beautiful / “this really beautiful”.
  • Phrases with prepositions ( prepositional phrases ): on the other side / “on the other side”; with the flower / “with the flower”.
  • Infinitive phrases : to forgive / ”; to think

Adverbial modifiers

When modifiers act as adverbs, they mainly modify verbs, but also adjectives or other adverbs. This group may include:

• Single-word modifiers : they are adverbial modifiers that consist of a single word: quickly / “quickly”; carefully / "carefully"; really / “really”. For example: I woke up early . / "I woke up early".
• Adverbial phrases : they are modifiers that include two or more words and modify the verb.
• Phrases with prepositions ( prepositional phrases ): in the corner / “in the corner”; without any help / “without any help”.
• Infinitive phrases : to keep track of the progress / “to record progress”; to solve the problem / “to solve the problem”.
• Phrases with an adverb and an intensifier: very carefully / “very carefully”; extremely quickly / “extremely fast”; really loudly / “really strong”.

Other modifiers

When the above modifiers are used incorrectly, modifiers known as misplaced modifiers , limiting modifiers , dangling modifiers , and ambiguous modifiers can arise.

Generally, modifiers are placed near the words they modify. If they are placed too far apart, the meaning can be confused or wrong. For example:

• Dylan heard him when he whispered clearly . / “Dylan heard him when he whispered clearly to him.”
• Dylan heard him clearly when he whispered. / “Dylan clearly heard him when he whispered to him.”

In the first sentence, the modifier is too far from the verb it modifies, which in this case is: heard . Not only does the meaning of the sentence change and it becomes confusing, but it also seems that it is modifying the verb whispered . On the contrary, the second sentence conveys the message correctly and clearly.

Limiting modifiers

The limiting modifiers or limiting modifiers are those that put restrictions or limit, in some way, the subject, be it a noun or a pronoun. If they are placed in the wrong position, they can totally change the meaning of the sentence. Some of them are: only / “only”, “only”; always / “always”; just / “only”; almost / “almost”; at first / “at the beginning”. For example:

• Noah wants water only . / “Noah only wants water.”
• Only Noah wants water . / “Only Noah wants water.”

As can be seen, by changing the position of the modifier, the sentences have completely different meanings. The first sentence implies that the only drink Noah wants is water. Instead, the second sentence means that Noah is the only person who wants water.

dangling modifiers

Dangling modifiers are words that are missing the noun, adjective, or verb they modify. Therefore, they are "hung" in the sentence. For example:

• To become a good writer, many books must be read. / “To become a good writer, many books must be read.”
• To become a good writer, you must read many books. / “To become a good writer, you must read many books.”

In this case, the first sentence is missing the subject it modifies. Therefore, this sentence can be corrected simply by adding a subject.

Squinting or ambiguous modifiers

These modifiers make the meaning of the sentence ambiguous when they are in the wrong position. For example:

• Eating nuts quickly gives me a headache . / “Eating nuts quickly gives me a headache.”
• When I eat nuts, I quickly develop a headache . / "When I eat nuts, my head quickly starts to hurt."

As you can see in the first sentence, the position of the modifier gives the sentence a confusing meaning, which can be misunderstood. It is not understood if I get a headache when I eat nuts in a hurry or if the headache occurs immediately after eating the nuts.

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