Adjectives /Adverbs or modifiers? How to learn from possible error

Question

Hi Experts

Working on several sentence correction questions , I am usually able to eliminate major errors when dealing with questions at 600-700 levels . However, at the 700 level , I have started to see more questions such as

In some types of pine tree,  a thick layer of needles  protects the buds from which new growth proceeds; consequently they are able to withstand forest fires relatively well.

The underlined could either be 
1) Thick layer of needles 
2) Thick needle layer - this was in one of the answer choices

How do you identify the correct option ?

ReedArnoldMPREP · Answer

I actually love this question for modifier lessons--so first off, great job *recognizing a good question to ask*.

The thing about SC to remember is that EVERY WORD HAS A ROLE.

Pretty much every word is doing a job in one of three ways: It's either part of the CLAUSE (Subject/Verb); a CONJUNCTION; or a MODIFIER.

SEE: 
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIsU_JI7Z6w

Okay, so, here we definitely have *modifiers.* A modifier is moving between these answer:

A thick layer of needles

or

A thick need layer.

What are the modifiers?

Well in the first: "A thick layer of needles."

Thick is a modifier, it needs to modify a noun. Okay, cool, seems pretty clear: "thick layer."

"Of needles" is a modifier, it also is modifying the noun 'layer.' So we're all simpatico! "Thick layer of needles" modifies exactly as I think it should, and it's clear.

The other, now: "A thick needle layer."

Okay, well, 'layer' is the main noun of that 'subject chunk' still. What is 'needle?' Well it's... a modifier? I guess? I mean, 'needle' is a noun though... it feels like I'm going for something like a hyphenated 'needle layer,' but... there's no hyphen. Okay, but let's just let this slide. It's a needle layer, I get it!

Okay, 'thick.' Well, I mean, I know the layer is thick, right? But remember, the question in SC is not do I know, it's does *the structure* know? Thick modifies A NOUN CLOSE TO IT.

And 'Needle'... is an noun. So maybe... are the needles thick?

Is it a 'thick-needle' layer (i.e. a 'layer of thick needles') or is it a 'thick needle-layer' (i.e. 'a thick layer of needles.') (this xkcd always seemed relevant here:  https://xkcd.com/37/ )

In B, it is *structurally unclear which should be 'thick.'

So it's better to choose the unambiguous 'thick layer of needles.'

There are other reasons to get rid of B, but that's my favorite.

So the lessons, here:

--Noun modifies modify A NOUN CLOSE TO THEM (IDEALLY, THE NOUN *CLOSEST* TO THEM)
--When modifiers move, use structural rules to specify what IS or what COULD BE modified.
And mostly, the hardest takeaway of all:
--Don't let your knowledge of what the words in a sentence mean override what would be a valid interpretation of those words based *solely on the rules of structure.* You're not choosing the sentence *you* think is best, you're choosing the sentence that, based on structural rules, is most correct and unambiguous in telling what the sentence is trying to say.

Adjectives /Adverbs or modifiers? How to learn from possible error

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