THE ROLE OF MODIFIERS

 

THE ROLE OF MODIFIERS  

 

Modifiers are single words or groups of words that describe or provide more details about another word.  Modifying words are mostly adjectives and adverbs. Adjectives modify nouns and pronouns, and adverbs modify adjectives, verbs and other adverbs.  A noun can also serve as a modifier of another noun, depending on usage.

Generally, a modifier is usually placed next to the word it modifies. If it is placed too far from the word it describes, the modifier can end up as misplaced modifier. 

Let us now discuss the different categories of modifiers we have in the English Language.

1.   Adjectives as Modifiers

Adjectives as modifiers come more often before the noun, than after it.

(i)               Adjectives Modifying Nouns

Examples:

(a)   Urhobo Progress Union Exco held a long and exhaustive meeting recently.
Long and exhaustive are adjectives; they both modify the noun meeting. 

(b)  There was a red kite in the cloudless sky.
Red and cloudless are adjectives, and they modify the nouns kite and sky.

(ii)              Adjectives Modifying Pronouns

Examples:

(a)   He was happy with the way the conference went.
Happy is an adjective modifying the pronoun he.

(b)  They were tired after several practical lectures at school today.
      The adjective tired modifies the pronoun they.

2.  Adverbs as Modifiers

Examples:

Adverbs as modifiers, occur immediately before or after the verb, and before an adjective or another adverb.

(i)               Adverbs Modifying Verbs

Examples:

(a)   He often dreams of becoming a doctor.

The adverb often modifies the verb dreams). 

(b)  He did not feel hungry and so, ate sparingly.
The adverb sparingly modifies the verb ate.

(ii)             Adverbs Modifying Adjectives

Examples:

(a)   The water wasn’t hot enough to prepare the ‘eba’.
The word enough is an adverb and it modifies the adjective hot. 

(b)  She felt her teacher was abnormally fast in his dictation.
The adverb abnormally modifies the adjective fast.

(c)  Adverbs Modifying Other Adverbs

Examples:

(a)  He now gets home more quickly with his new car.
More is an adverb and it modifies the adverb quickly. 

(b)  After her marriage, she became even more beautiful.
Even is an adverb and it modifies the other adverb more.

(c)  Miss Annabel Ogheneganre, the columnist, always makes references easily.

Always is an adverb and it modifies the other adverb easily.

3. Comparatives and Superlatives as Modifiers

Comparatives and superlatives can act as modifiers as they are either adjectives or adverbs. The comparative form is restricted to comparing two things while the superlative form compares more than two things.

(i)               Comparatives as Modifiers

Example:

-          Chief Efe Unupiopio’s older house was repainted last week.

This sentence indicates that Chief Unupiopio has two houses, one of which was repainted last week.  Older (as a comparative word in the sentence) modifies the house that was repainted.

(ii)             Superlatives as Modifiers

Example:

-          Chief Efe Unupiopio has the oldest house in the community.

Here, the superlative oldest, is used as there are more than two houses in the community.  Oldest modifies house in the sentence.

Notes on the Use of the Word Very as a Modifier:

The word very can be an adjective or an adverb. We can use it as an adverb to modify an adjective or another adverb, but we cannot use it to modify comparatives and superlatives.

The following examples will help us to understand the explanation better:

Correct:   Chief Oke Okorotete’s car is very old.
Very modifies the adjective old.

Correct:   Chief Oke Okorotete drives his car very slowly.
Very modifies the adverb slowly.

Wrong:   Chief Okorotete’s car is very older than his brother’s bus.
Very cannot modify the comparative adjective older.

Wrong:   Chief Okorotete drives his car very more slowly.
Very cannot modify the comparative adverb more.

Correct:  John is a very tall student.

Very modifies the adjective tall.

Wrong:  John is a very tallest student.

Very cannot modify the superlative adverb tallest.