3. Multiple Modifiers

Modifiers can be more than one describing the same noun to make it more precise or interesting. They can be a phrase, or multiple-word, or even just one word modifying a whole sentence. The modifiers must be easily identifiable with the words they modify.

Example 1

Examples:

  • The meal in that restaurant was really delicious.

    (The phrase in the restaurant  modifies the noun meal . It tells us where the meal is/was available, and really delicious  also modifies meal. It tells us about the taste of the meal. The adverb really  modifies the adjective delicious . It tells us how delicious the meal was.)

Example 2

Examples:

  • They were highly delighted at the court’s decision.

    (The adverb highly  modifies how they felt, that is delighted . The adverbial phrase at the court’s decision  modifies the adjective delighted . It tells us what made them delighted.)

Example 3

Examples:

  • Suddenly, the ground shook and everyone rushed outdoors.

    (Suddenly  modifies the whole sentence. Outdoors  is an adverb and it modifies the verb rushed .)

Example 4

Examples:

  • The hungry-looking vultures were perched high on the steep cliff overlooking the slightly choppy sea.
  1. Adjective hungry-looking  modifies noun vultures ;
  2.  adverb high  modifies verb perched ;
  3.  adjective steep  modifies noun cliff ; slightly
  4.  choppy  modifies noun sea ; and
  5.  adverb slightly  modifies adjective choppy .

Example 5

Examples:

  • Covered by a thick layer of fine dust, the top shelf had not been wiped for years.
  1. Adjective thick  modifies noun phrase layer of fine dust ;
  2.  adjective fine  modifies noun dust ; 
  3. adjective top  modifies shelf ; and  
  4. covered by a thick layer of fine dust  modifies top shelf .

Example 6

Examples:

  • It was the ugly toothless old wicked witch, who cast a magical spell on the beautiful princess.
    1. A whole string of adjectives – ugly toothless old wicked  – modifies noun witch ;
    2. adjective magical  modifies noun spell ;
    3. A whole string of adjectives – ugly toothless old wicked  – modifies noun witch ;
    4. adjective beautiful  modifies noun princess ; and
    5. A whole string of adjectives – ugly toothless old wicked  – modifies noun witch ;
    6. who cast a magical spell on the beautiful princess  modifies witch .

Example 7

Examples:

  • The highly experienced driver drove very quickly through the tunnel.

    Not : The highly experienced and very quickly driver drove through the tunnel. This sentence is wrong because the adverb quickly  modifies the noun driver . An adverb does not modify a noun.

    1. The adverb highly  modifies the adjective experienced .
    2. The adjective experienced  modifies the noun driver .
    3. The adverb very  modifies the adverb quickly .
    4. The adverb quickly  modifies the verb drove .
    5. The prepositional phrase through the tunnel  modifies the verb drove .