Common Subjects:Communication Skills

Common Subject: Communication Skills
FROM ALL THE ENGINEERING COURSES
Lecture No 04
Topic:Modifier

Modifier

Adverbs and adjectives (and phrases or clauses acting as adverbs and adjectives, e.g. prepositional phrases) are modifiers. They limit, describe, or identify the words they modify. Thus they are used to make ideas more exact and clear.

1. He threw a stone.

2. The naughty boy threw a sharp stone. (Adjectives modify nouns.)

3. My brother repaired the radio.

4. My brother carefully repaired the radio. (An adverb modifies a verb.)

5. Eight a.m. is a busy time.

6. Eight a.m. is an unusually busy time. (An adverb modifies an adjective.)

7. The girl plays the guitar.

8. The girl in the red dress plays the guitar. (A prepositional phrase modifies a noun.)

 Problems Related to Modifier

A careless use of modifiers results in vagueness, ambiguity and confusion which reduce the readability and effectiveness of writing. The problematic modifiers can be divided into three classes: the misplaced, the two-way and the dangling modifiers.

Misplaced Modifier: As a matter of general principle a modifier should be placed close to what it modifies. Otherwise it is likely to be mistaken to modify some other element in the sentence leading thus to confusion and reduced readability. Modifiers which can be misinterpreted because of their inappropriate placement in a sentence are termed as misplaced modifiers.

• We listened breathlessly to the story of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves munching our peanuts and crackers.
• They were delighted to see a field of daffodils climbing up the hill.
• You can order a dress that will be delivered to you by telephone.