Question about Modifiers?

Question

Hi all, I have a quick question on modifiers

Example 1 
 Eaten in the Mediterreanean countries ,  the tomato  was viewed with suspicion by northern Europeans, who assumed it had poisonous properties beacuse of its relationship to deadly nightshade

In this example we can see that the tomato is modified by the very first clause, beacuse we expect the modifier to refer to the subject of the second sentence. 
However if you look at the examples below you can clearly see that they are also correct while modifiers don't seem to refer to subject. Can anyone elaborate on why they are also correct?

Example 2
 Many geologists  fear that  California ,  subject to earthquakes due to the positioning of the coastal tectonic plates , may someday become too unstable to support urban population
Although we can infer what the sentence says from the meaning, Geologists are the subject but California is modified, somehow by the next modifier

Example 3
 Much of the global commerce  that is conducted today at some point involves  the EU ,  believed by some to be one of the most powerful market forces in the world .

Again we can see that subject is not modified but rather object. Is it possible that a separated modifier refers to the object?

Thank you everyone
Expert views are highly valued

MartyTargetTestPrep · Answer

Hi gloomybison.

A modifying phrase or clause that appears after a noun in a sentence can modify basically any noun in a sentence. In other words, such a modifier is not restricted to modifying the subject.

The bicycle,  now repaired , worked quite well.  - "now repaired" modifies the subject, "bicycle."

A rabbit ate the strawberry  left on the porch .  - "left on the porch" modifies the direct object, "strawberry."

The investors have finished their review of the information  assembled by the team .  - "assembled by the team" modifies the object of the preposition "of," which is "information."

avigutman · Answer

gloomybison I think your error is in calling Eaten in the Mediterreanean countries a clause. This is not a clause, as it has no subject-verb. A clause is something that can stand alone as a complete sentence. So, what is Eaten in the Mediterreanean countries ? You can learn about it here: https://englishsentences.com/appositive-phrase/

sivatx2 · Answer

Modifier/noun phrase will try to modify the nearest noun.
In Example 2,  that  is used to connect two clauses:

Each clause can be broken into independent sentences. 1. Many geologists fear. 2. California may become too unstable.
California is the nearest noun.

In Example 3, 'That' is used as a Complement to a Noun ( can do the same for Adjective too)
But the rule applies, that the modifier modifies the nearest noun.

Question about Modifiers?

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