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09 Sep 2021, 15:52
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Hi everyone, I need some help on using modifiers. When using modifiers in a sentence, when is it okay to have the modifier away from the noun it is modifying? I know that for most cases, modifiers have to be placed right next to the noun it is referring to, but it seems that there are exceptions. How do I wrap my head around these exceptions?
Thanks in advance!
Thanks in advance!
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09 Sep 2021, 21:49
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dlbillions
In almost all cases of noun modifiers, of prepositional phrases etc, the modifier needs to be touching the noun it modifies.
However, in case of present participles separated from main clause by a comma, the modifier may modify the entire clause or the subject of the clause.
There was music and dance in the party, making the evening more pleasant.
The boy did the work exceptionally well, using all the knowledge and experience he had gained over the years.
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10 Sep 2021, 03:27
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Vital Modifiers
Essentially a vital modifier provides necessary information to identify the noun, where a non-essential noun modifier adds descriptive details.
The best way to check whether a modifier is essential or not is by restating the statement without the modifier.
For example:
In college, we heard a lecture by a woman who had won the Pulitzer Prize.
If you drop the clause it simply reads:
In college, we heard a lecture by a woman.
This lecturer went from one in a small group of women to all the women in the world. Thus, the modifier is essential because taking it out drastically changes our understanding of the noun.
The Touch Rule
When modifiers modify a noun they must be adjacent (or touch) the noun they modify. This rule is one of the most important grammar rules to know. When the noun modifier does not touch the noun it modifies it is called a misplaced modifier.
Exceptions
However, like all rules, this rule has exceptions. A vital noun modifier always has logical priority over a non-vital noun modifier and therefore could prevent a non-vital modifier from “touching” the noun by coming between the non-vital modifier and the noun. Be sure to watch our lesson video if you haven't already.
hope this helps!
source: https://magoosh.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/ar ... Exceptions
Essentially a vital modifier provides necessary information to identify the noun, where a non-essential noun modifier adds descriptive details.
The best way to check whether a modifier is essential or not is by restating the statement without the modifier.
For example:
In college, we heard a lecture by a woman who had won the Pulitzer Prize.
If you drop the clause it simply reads:
In college, we heard a lecture by a woman.
This lecturer went from one in a small group of women to all the women in the world. Thus, the modifier is essential because taking it out drastically changes our understanding of the noun.
The Touch Rule
When modifiers modify a noun they must be adjacent (or touch) the noun they modify. This rule is one of the most important grammar rules to know. When the noun modifier does not touch the noun it modifies it is called a misplaced modifier.
Exceptions
However, like all rules, this rule has exceptions. A vital noun modifier always has logical priority over a non-vital noun modifier and therefore could prevent a non-vital modifier from “touching” the noun by coming between the non-vital modifier and the noun. Be sure to watch our lesson video if you haven't already.
hope this helps!
source: https://magoosh.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/ar ... Exceptions
