MODIFIERS

WHAT?

• A modifier is a word that describes or changes other words.

For example:
• Adjective – this modifier describes a noun or pronoun
• Adverb – this modifier describes a verb, adjective, or another
adverb
• Comparative – the form of a modifier used when comparing
two things
• Superlative – the form of a modifier used when comparing
more than two things
 ADJECTIVES

• It describes nouns or pronouns in a sentence.

• How to tell it’s an adjective? It answers the following:
 ADJECTIVES

• Sometimes, an adjective follows a verb, but it

describes a noun or pronoun that comes BEFORE
the verb.
• These strawberries taste sour. (sour strawberries)
• Rhonda’s change of heart seemed strange. (strange
change)
• The pickles are salty. (salty pickles)
 ADJECTIVES - FEWER/LESS

• Fewer – modifies plural nouns or countable things.

• Less – modifies singular nouns (a quantity or a degree) or
uncountable things.
 ADJECTIVES – NUMBER/AMOUNT

• Number – modifies plural nouns or countable things.

• Amount – modifies singular nouns or uncountable things.
 PRACTICE

Choose the correct word in parentheses in each of the sentences.

 ADVERBS

• A modifier that is used to describe verbs, adjectives, and

other adverbs.
• An adverb usually answers these questions:
ADVERBS
 PRACTICE – ADJECTIVE OR ADVERB?
1. Anita sang the melody line
(correct,correctly).
2. Patricia looked (tired,tiredly) after
the long day.
3. This door doesn’t shut as
(easy,easily) as it used to.
4. These new boots feel more
(comfortable,comfortably) than my
old ones.
5. Ask (polite,politely) if you need
help with your work.
6. The doctor walked (slow,slowly)
out of the operating room.
7. Jay seems (unhappy,unhappily)
about the test results.
8. The woman looked (angry,angrily)
as she left the hair salon.
9. The burglar felt (careful,carefully)
for the alarm switch.
10.The steam treatment cleaned our
carpets (thorough,thoroughly).
MISPLACED MODIFIERS
 WHAT?

• Misplaced modifier – there is a separation of space between the word, phrase, or

clause and the modifier, the meaning gets really fuzzy.
• Only, almost, and just should be placed as close as possible to the word described.
If it is not, then, you’ll have a misplaced modifier in a sentence.

The woman only looked at two chairs.

The woman looked at only two chairs.
 WHY?

The woman only looked at two chairs.

The woman “only looked” at the chairs, but nothing else; she didn’t sit in them or
touch them.

The woman looked at only two chairs.

She looked at “only two” samples, not three or four.
 MORE EXAMPLES

Josh nearly scored four touchdowns.

Josh scored nearly four touchdowns.

The delivery company just rents its vans.

The delivery company rents just its vans.

Decide on which ones make a lot more sense, or that sounds fuzzy?
 PLACEMENT OF PHRASES & CLAUSES

Not just words, any phrase or clause that describe nouns or pronouns must also be placed as
closely as possible to the words they describe or else you will be creating another misplaced
modifier in a sentence.
IN-CLASS TASK
 PRACTICE – COMPLETE THESE
SENTENCES

1. Since moving to Kuala Lumpur, ______________________________________.

2. Before putting on a show, _________________________________________.
3. While waiting for the food, ________________________________________.
4. By having the camera lens changed, __________________________________.
5. To appreciate the music, __________________________________________.
6. To get a raise, __________________________________________________.
7. To have a successful barbecue, ______________________________________.
8. To get to know people, ___________________________________________.
 SUGGESTED ANSWERS

1. Since moving to Kuala Lumpur, Serena has never gone back to her hometown.
2. Before putting on a show, I will drink some water.
3. While waiting for the food, Hank flirts with his date.
4. By having the camera lens changed, you could apply different types of exposures.
5. To appreciate the music, I am listening to it day and night.
6. To get a raise, one should work more diligent.
7. To have a successful barbecue, the meat and chicken must be well-seasoned.
8. To get to know people, you should initiate conversations.
DANGLING MODIFIERS
 WHAT?

• Words, phrases, or clauses that begin a sentence

and are set off by commas sometimes don’t clearly
modify any word or group of words in the
sentence.
 EXAMPLES?

1. While talking on the telephone, the potatoes boiled over.

(Why were the potatoes talking on the telephone?)
2. Nailed to a utility pole, Jason saw the sign. (Why was
Jason nailed to a utility pole?)
3. Broken and beyond repair, Grandma threw the serving
dish away. (Why was Grandma broken?)
 HOW TO FIX?

While talking on the telephone, the potatoes boiled over.

- While I was talking on the telephone, the potatoes boiled

over.
- The potatoes boiled over while I talked on the phone.
 HOW TO FIX?

Nailed to a utility pole, Jason saw the sign.

- Jason saw the sign nailed to a utility pole.

- Nailed to the utility pole, the sign was visible to Jason.
 HOW TO FIX?

Broken and beyond repair, Grandma threw the serving dish

away.

- Grandma threw away the broken serving dish that was

beyond repair.
- Broken and beyond repair, the serving dish was thrown
away by Grandma.
 PRACTICE

Choose the correctly written sentence from each of the following sets.
 PRACTICE

Choose the correctly written sentence from each of the following sets.