Modifier

Identity of lexical
and modifying the
fragments of a
sentence

Mohammad Hossain

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 Modifier

Adjective Adverb

Noun Pronoun Adjective Verb Adverb Sentence

# Key Terms:

1. Modifier: A modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that provides description or details in

sentences. (Adjective and adverb are capable of being a modifier)
2. Modified Element: a word that is being modified. (Noun, Pronoun, verb, adverb, clause
and adjective etc. all can be modified by the modifier)
3. Pre-modifier: A modifier which sits before the modified element.
4. Post-modifier: A modifier which sits after the modified element.

Pre modifier

1. Determiner
a. Article- I bought a book. (a, an, the etc.) (Adjective)
b. Demonstrative- I bought that book. (this, that, these, those etc.) (Adjective)
c. Numeric- I bought two books. (one, two, three, any number etc.) (Adjective)
d. Possessive- I bought his book. (my, his, her etc.) (Adjective)
e. Quantifier- I bought some books. (many, some, any, all) (Adjective)
2. Intensifier- The books were exceedingly well. (amazingly, exceptionally, incredibly,
remarkably, unusually, very) (Adverb)
3. Downtoner – Though the books made me slightly tired (a bit, a little bit, slightly, a little,
barely, just, somewhat) (Adverb)
4. Compound word- The book is written on hard working people. (living room, full moon,
real estate, dinner table, coffee mug) (Adjective)

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 5. Noun Adjective- I want to buy a tea pot for you. (English teacher, black horse,
Visa office)
6. Perfect Participle- Having bought the tea pot, I gifted you. (Having+v3)
Being happy, I gifted her. (Havinh+V3)
Being assured, I told him the truth. (Being+Adj/V3)

Post modifier

1. Prepositional Phrase- We stayed at the cabin by the river. (Position of Verb) (Adverb)
2. Relative Clause- It is the time, when I sleep. (Adverbial clause)
3. Appositive- Shakib Al Hasan, No.1 all-rounder in the world, gave me an autograph.
(Adjective)
4. Infinitive- I want to play Cricket. (Adjective)
5. Infinitive Phrase- A good habit to have is to go for a walk. (Adverb)

Dual modifier

1. Present Participle- It was Sammy dancing in the room. (verb+ing)(Adjective)

2. Past Participle- I made the work done. (Adjective)
3. Participle Phrase- Theresa observed her father jogging along the path. (Adverb)
4. Adjective- I bought a great book. (Situation of Noun)
5. Adjective Phrase- This stone is the heaviest of all. (Situation of Noun)
6. Adverb- I bought a quite interesting book. (Situation of Adjective)
7. Adverbial Phrase- At every turn, problems blocked his path. (Situation of Sentence)

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