3. Multiple Modifiers

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 .