modifiers 1

Understanding Modifiers

• Definition: A modifier is any word or group of words that describes another part of the sentence, including adjectives and adverbs.

Types of Modifiers

• Adjectives: Words that describe nouns (e.g., "beautiful" and "old" in "the beautiful old house").

• Adverbial Modifiers: Words that describe verbs or actions (e.g., "thoroughly" in "the doctor thoroughly examined the patient").

• Phrases: Groups of words used adjectivally or adverbially (e.g., "across the street" modifies "house").

• Relative Clauses: Clauses that function as adjectives (e.g., "that they bought last year" modifies "house").

Misplaced Modifiers

• Definition: A misplaced modifier is when an adjective, phrase, or clause is incorrectly placed in a sentence, leading to confusion or a change in meaning.

Common Examples

• Example 1: "We almost ate all the sandwiches."

  • Correction: "We ate almost all of the sandwiches."

  • Note: "Almost" should be placed as close as possible to "all" to clarify meaning.

• Example 2: "Chasing a squirrel up a tree, my grandmother saw her cat Fluffy."

  • Correction: "My grandmother saw her cat Fluffy chasing a squirrel up a tree."

  • Note: The modifying phrase should relate directly to the noun it modifies ("Fluffy").

• Example 3: "She wore a pink summer hat on her head, which was much too big."

  • Correction: "She wore a pink summer hat which was much too big."

  • Note: Remove unnecessary phrases to clarify that the hat, not the head, is too big.

Tips for Avoiding Misplaced Modifiers

• Positioning: Ensure that modifiers are placed as close as possible to the words they modify to avoid confusion.

• Clarity: Read sentences aloud or rephrase them to determine if they accurately convey intended meaning.