Difficulty with modifier

[Abhilash12jan]

Hi,

I am having so much difficulty with the use of modifier. Just want to know what's the right approach to recognize errors in modifier; should I have to remember all the rules and usage related to all the modifying phrases such as prepositional, adverbial etc or just need to familiar myself with the uses through practice and then solve the question with my instinct.

Please help me, this one section in SC is a nightmare for me.

Thanx in advance.

[StaceyKoprince]

You don't have to know the names of the different types, no. But you do have to know how they're used - and, usually, by the time you learn how they're used, you've learned a lot of the names (because, to talk about them, people usually name them).

If your focus has been on trying to memorize the names / types, don't worry about that.

Broadly, there are two types of modifiers: noun modifiers and adverbial modifiers. As long as you can distinguish which one you have, you can usually figure out whether it's being used correctly.

Noun modifiers have to be placed as close as possible to the nouns they modify. The vast majority of the time, the noun modifier will actually touch the noun it modifies. If you see a noun modifier placed far away from the noun it modifies, cross that answer off.

Adverbial modifiers just have to be placed in a way that it's clear which action they modify.

For instance: He paced about the room rapidly.

Rapidly is an adverbial modifier referring to the verb paced. Nothing else in the sentence could be happening rapidly, so the placement is fine.

But: He paced about the room, gazing into the distance in despair, rapidly.

Now, the sentence seems to be saying that he's gazing rapidly... which doesn't make sense. :) In this case, rapidly needs to be moved closer to the verb paced so that the meaning is clear.

As a general strategy, if you can distinguish these two types of modifiers, then you're halfway to the answer. You don't actually have to know whether something is a participle or a prepositional phrase or whatever.

If you'd like to discuss the technical aspects of modifiers in more detail, please post in our Verbal folders.