Modifiers – Adverbs Like ‘Only’

 Adverb like ‘only’ come as close as possible to the adjectives, verbs, or other adverbs
they modify.

Example :

o She has ‘only’ three dollars

Adv Adj

o He ‘only’ saw her, he didn’t speak to her.

Adv Verb

o ‘Only’ downstairs can one find a real bargain.

Adv Adv

o She grew to be ‘only’ four feet tall.

Adv Adv

“adver like ‘only’ “ is Used for emphasizing that an amount, number, size, age, percentage.
The police station was only 150 metres away.
The company was established in Lanarkshire only eight months ago.
She was only 18, but she was as smart as someone twice her age.

Other adverbs like ‘only’ are : just, nearly, hardly, almost, and scarcely.

 Just

a person needs just three things to be truly happy in this world: someone to love,
something to do, and something to hope for.
  Nearly

I've nearly finished that book you lent me.

 Hardly

At the time, I hardly spoke any French.

 Almost

Goats will eat almost anything.

 Scarcely

Scarcely a day goes by when they don't see or talk to each other

Error Examples :

Wrong : We only have four hours to finish this paper.

Right : We have ‘only’ four hours to finish this paper.

Wrong : She just wants to take one class.

Right : She wants to take ‘just’ one class.

Wrong : That house nearly costs sixty thousand dollars.

Right : That house costs ‘nearly’ sixty thousand dollars.

Wrong : She was so quiet that hardly he noticed her.

Right : She was so quiet that ‘hardly’ noticed her.

Wrong : They almost drove six hundred miles.

Right : They drove ‘almost’ six hundred miles.

Exercise :

Put “C” if the sentence is correct. Put “X” if the adverb is not as close as possible to the word
it modifies.
 1. ____ If you go to window five, you will have to wait only five minutes.
2. ____ You can use these machines only between 9 A.M. and 5 P.M.
3. ____ He hardly knows any english.
4. ____ Than shirt almost cost twenty dollars.
5. ____ Just ten people will be able to go today.
6. ____ You hardly have enough time to do the first exercise.
7. ____ We had to wait nearly ten minutes for the movie to begin.
8. ____ She scarcely slept five hours last night.
9. ____ We want to borrow only ten dollars.
10. ____ The soldiers only killed one person during the battle.

Modifiers – Split Infinitives

 The infinitive is ‘to + the simple form of the verb (V’). Do not put an adverb between
‘to’ and Verb.

Example :

o He refused ‘to fill out’ the form completely.

To + verb adv

o They have decided ‘to repeat’ the directions carefully.

To + verb adv

o We hope ‘to inform’ him quickly.

To + verb adv

o The senator ran ‘to catch’ the bus.

To + verb
Error Examples :

Wrong : He wanted to carefully.

Right : He wanted ‘to read’ the directions carefully.

Wrong : To thoroughly understand the subject, ask an expert.

Right : ‘To understand’ the subject thoroughly, ask an expert.

Wrong : He was looking for a way to rapidly complete the job.

Right : He was looking for a way ‘to complete’ the job rapidly.

I want to live simply.

I simply want to live.

I want to simply live.

Each of these three sentences conveys a different meaning.

I want to live simply. The thought is that the speaker wants to live without the trappings of
affluence. The speaker prefers a simple life.

I simply want to live. Here the thought seems to be that the speaker wants to live as
opposed to dying. Do whatever you have to do, Doctor. I simply want to live.

I want to simply live. The speaker is tired of going to work, worrying about responsibility.
I’ve been a drudge too long. I want to simply live and not worry about tomorrow.

Exercise :

Put “C” if the sentence is correct. Put “X” if the adverb is not as close as possible to the word
it modifies.

1. ____ We decided to leave the area qiuckly.

2. _x___ He seemed to easily understand the situation.
3. __x__ To really make him happy would be impossible.
4. __x__ She used a scale to accurately weigh the vegetables.
5. ___x_ Do not try to completely finish your homework before dinner.
 6. _x___ To hastily read the material is not enough for good comprehension.
7. ____ He bagan to chatter about the event excitedly.
8. __x__ Please try to entirely revise your work before you leave.
9. ____ The teacher wanted to know positively whether or not the students could
come to picnic.
10. __x__ Bob is going to soon decide on his future course of study.

Modifiers – Dangling Modifier

 Dangling is to swing from one place to another (adverb).

 The subject of the main clause must be the same as the understood subject of the
introductory phrase. In other words, the introductory phrase modifies the subject of
the main clause.

Example :

o Looking at his watch, Mr. Jones got up and left.

Subject

Introductory Phrase Main Clause

Who looked at his watch ? Mr. Jones

Who got up and left ? Mr. Jones

o Compared to his father , John is a tall man.

Subject

Introductory Phrase Main Clause

Who is compared to his father ? John

Who is a tall man ? John

 o To make a collect phone call , Mary must speak to the operator.

Subject

Introductory Phrase Main Clause

Who is making a collect phone call ? Mary

Who must speak to the operator ? Mary

o While a dancer in New York , Kathy injured her leg.

Subject

Introductory Phrase Main Clause

Who was dancer in New York ? Kathy

Who injured her leg ? Kathy

Error Examples :

Wrong : Running home from the school , a dog bit me.

Right : Running home from the school , ‘I’ was bitten by a dog.

Wrong : When only a child , my father took me to the circus.

Right : When only a child , ‘I’ was taken to the circus by my father.

Wrong : Hidden in his pocket , George left the room with the key.

Right : Having hidden the key in his pocket , ‘George’ left the room.

Wrong : To understand the directions , they must be read carefully.

Right : To understand the directions , ‘one’ must be read them carefully.

Reading book in front of the city library, a librarian is angry at me ( )

Exercise :
Put “C” if the sentence is correct. Put “X” if the adverb is not as close as possible to the word
it modifies.

1. __x__ Playing in the street , the truck hit the child.

2. ____ By painting and repairing as needed , your home can be kept in good condition.
3. ____ Before leaving , Jane kissed me goodbye.
4. __x__ Addressed and stamped , I dropped the letter in the slot.
5. ____ While student at collage , my mother met my father.
6. __x__ Walking toward the church , the stained-glass windows looked beautiful.
7. __x__ To understand the subject , a great deal of studying must be done.
8. __x__ Skiing down the steep hill , my heart beat crazily.
9. ____ Watching her daughter play , Mary thought about life as a mother.
10. ____ Once learned , a language cannot easily be forgotten.
11. __x__ When only a child , my father taught me how to play soccer.
12. __x__ Studying and reading , the day passed quickly.
13. ____ To make a good cup of coffe , one must begin with high quality coffee beans.
14. __x__ Sitting alone in his room , the strange noise frightened him.

____ Wrapped in pretty green paper , Phyllis put the package on the table.

READING TEXT

3D Printing
3D printing or Additive manufacturing is a process of making a three-dimensional solid
object of virtually any shape from a digital model. 3D printing is achieved using an additive
process, where successive layers of material are laid down in different shapes. 3D printing is
also considered distinct from traditional machining techniques, which mostly rely on the
removal of material by methods such as cutting or drilling (subtractiveprocesses). 3D printer
is designed to make 3D objects simply. To make 3D objects, all of engineering must use 3D
printer.

The 3D printing technology is used for both prototyping and distributed manufacturing with
applications in architecture, construction (AEC), industrial design, automotive, aerospace,
military, engineering, civil engineering, dental and medical industries, biotech (human tissue
replacement), fashion, footwear, jewelry, eyewear, education, geographic information
systems, food, and many other fields. That 3D printer costs ‘nearly’ four hundred dollars. 3D
printer can be bought in almost all of online shop.