English Language Learners Stack Exchange
English Language Learners Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [modifiers]

A modifier is a word (generally an adjective, or a noun used as attribute) that changes the sense of the head noun.

A modifier is a word (generally an adjective, or a noun used as attribute) that changes the sense of the head noun. For example, in a good family house, both good and family are modifiers.

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"Zero tolerance for walkers, or them to be." -- grammar, meaning?

From episode 5 of the television series The Walking Dead: I say we put a pickaxe in his head and the dead girl's and be done with it. Is that what you'd want if it were you? Yeah, and I'd thank you while you did it. I hate to say it. I never…
Michael Rybkin
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Can ages ahead be possible?

Harry looked down at his empty gold plate. He had only just realized how hungry he was. The pumpkin pasties seemed ages ago. (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone) It seems like ago is the peripheral modifier (CGEL,p436) as the examples in…
Listenever
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difference between "art"and "arts" as a "modifier"

I have seen both of them, but I am wondering which on is considered correct. And, if they both are correct what is the difference between them? Art Gallery Arts Gallery Thanks.
nima
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Dangling modifier in sentence

This sentence is said to be correct: Skeptical of the abilities of prophets to tell the future, a significant number of philosophers in Athens began to value reason over revealed truths. "Skeptical" modifies "number", but "number" cannot be…
user20337
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two post head dependents

an opinion that someone offers you about what you should do or how you should act in a particular situation (dictionary.cambridge.org) (1) an opinion (2) that someone offers you __ (3) about what you should do or how you should act in a…
Listenever
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Which can be used before "distance" among much/large/long/huge/big?

I am a foreign person who is trying to learn English hard. So thankfully, I would like get your answer. The following is an explanation about the meaning of the word "shallow"(adjective) in Oxford English Learner's Dictionary. not having much…
Smart Humanism
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seized on first Romulus

The wolf opened wide her grinning jaws, seized on first Romulus, then Remus, and ran with them to her lair. ROMULUS AND REMUS At first sight, I thought first as a modifier of Romulus. But then again, I thought it ought to be an adverb of the…
learner
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Strike could think of little he wanted to do less

Strike could think of little he wanted to do less. (Original is on P.S. below) I can guess the meaning in the context, but it’s not clear to me what structure it has. This is the way I think: Strike could think [of little [(that) he wanted to do…
Listenever
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She said, "Never trust a man whose eyes are so close together!"

She said, "Never trust a man whose eyes are so close together!" It means the distance between eyes are short. Does “together” modify “close”?
user142723
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jihadists the world over

He's been described as "an inspiration" to jihadists the world over, but this morning 29-year-old Australian man Musa Cerantonio is languishing in a jail cell in the Philippines. (Aussie ABC) What does the highlighted phrase mean? Does it modify…
Listenever
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Misplaced modifier? Judging by

I have read many sentences with the modifier "judging by..." followed by the subject "it". Such as this example: Judging by his appearance, it is clear that he doesn't comb his hair. The sentence itself sounds right to me, but how do I explain…
Tom Lee
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Use of unlike at the beginning of sentence

I corrected the following sentence: Nowadays, if you drive through a forested area, the windscreen of your car will most likely remain almost clean. Unlike 20 years ago, when the windscreen was darkened by dead insects after such a…
Marcin Nowak
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Why is this predicative a modifier?

Like numerous other kinds of adjunct, predicatives may be integrated into the structure as modifies, or detached, as supplements: i They left empty-handed. [modifier] ii Angry at this deception, Kim stormed out of the…
Listenever
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Some shepherds came up, bringing with them a man

While the dispute was going on, some shepherds came up, bringing with them a man whose hands were bound behind his back. Source: New York State Testing Program: ELA Common Core Sample Questions Is bringing an adjectival participle phrase that…
learner
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Modifier issue "traveling" or "who traveled"

I have heard that modifier should be placed near the word or the phrase that modifies. In below sentence, the modifier "traveling" is placed next to the word "tourists." I feel the below sentence is correct. But feedback of this states that it is…
ARYF
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