MODIFIERS are words that change or limit the meaning of other words.
Two kinds of modifiers are adjectives and adverbs.
Today we revisit these parts of speech.
Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives and other adverbs.
This is shown in the following examples: She speaks softly.
Softly modifies the verb “speak”.
He is always scruffy.
Always modifies the adjective scruffy.
He walks very slowly.
Very modifies the adverb slowly.
Most common adverbs are formed by adding “ly” to the adjective.
These are the common adverbs known by learners.
You get into a classroom and you ask about adverbs almost all learners will shout that answer.
For example: slow – slowly, careful – carefully, careless – carelessly, live – lively, quick – quickly and immediately.
In adjectives that end in ‘-y’’, replace the ‘-y’ with ‘i’, then add ‘l-y’.
Examples: easy – easily, happy – happily, noisy – noisily, heavy – heavily, day – daily angry angrily.
In adjectives that end in ‘-ful’ add ‘-ly’.
For example: care –carefully, beautiful – beautifully, sorrow – sorrowfully, faithful – faithfully, skilful – skilfully.
In the adjectives that end in ‘-le’ drop the ‘-e’ and add ‘-ly’ as in: possible – possibly, reasonable – reasonably, probable – probably, simple – simply, and comfortable – comfortably.
Other commonly used adverbs: afterwards, almost, already, also back, even, far, fast, forth, hard, here, instead, late, long, low, more, near, never, next, now, often, seldom, slow, soon, still, straight, then, there, today, tomorrow, too, well, yesterday and yet.
Tip – If you have trouble deciding whether to use an adjective or an adverb in a sentence, ask yourself the following questions: Which word does the modifier describe?
Use an adverb if the modified word is an action verb, an adjective, or an adverb.
Use an adjective if the modified is a noun or pronoun.
Which modifier correctly completes the following sentence – the adjective mournful or the adverb mournfully?
The lost child cried – for his mother.
The adverb mournfully is the correct choice because the modifier describes the verb cried.
Attempt the following exercise.
Choose the correct modifier from the two in brackets.
Then write the word it modifies Example:
The (handsome, handsomely) director of the choir expected us to practice until 8:00 P M.
Answer: handsome, director.
We consider him to be a (relentless, relentlessly) instructor.
I kept glancing (nervous, nervously) at the clock.
Then at (9: 00 PM the lights (sudden, suddenly) flickered and went out.
My friend (near, nearly) screamed, but I was thrilled to be in the dark with my instrument.
Thunder clapped and heavy torrents of rain fell (continual, continually).
Then the conductor of the choir strode (confident, confidently) onto the stage.
“Never mind the dark, I’ll call out the name of each piece and you will play by memory,” he said (loud, loudly).
It became (frightening, frighteningly) apparent that I would have to continue practice.
Steaming mugs of cocoa were tasted (careful. carefully).
Even the most active youngsters grew (weary, wearily) with each passing day.
With singing and storytelling, the children’s enthusiasm grew (quick, quickly).
The grilled hot dogs on the campfire smelled (delicious, deliciously).
One angry child sounded (furious, furiously) as he scolded his mother for making him take off his school blazer.
Mr Moyo, the camp director looked (kind, kindly) at the sea of faces.
She looked (curious, curiously) at the girls who would be in her care.
Agitated counsellors and campers became (calm, calmly) as the camp director introduced himself to them.
The above show single-word modifiers.
As you will see, however, group of words can also modify.
Prepositions are words that show how one word is related to another word.
Read the following sentences.
Notice how each expresses a different relationship.
The book is on the table.
The book is near the table.
The book is beside the table.
The words on, near and beside show the relationship of table to table.
Look at the second group of sentences: Susan pulled a muscle before the final race.
Susan pulled a muscle after the final race.
Susan pulled a muscle during the final race.
Before, after, and during show the relationship of race to pulled a muscle.
You can see that prepositions do not show relationships by themselves.
They begin a phrase.
A phrase is a group of words that belong together but that do not have a subject or verb.
For example: on the table and before the final race are examples of prepositional phrases.
A preposition is a word used with a noun or pronoun, called its object, to show how the noun or pronoun is related to some other word in the sentence.
A prepositional phrase consists of a preposition, its object, and any modifiers of the object.
Here is a list of words often used as prepositions.
Most of these prepositions show relationships of place or time.
Some show other relationships among people and things.
Study the prepositions and notice the relationship that each shows.
Commonly used prepositions: about, at down, to, above, before, during, of, toward, across, behind, except, off, under, after, below, for, on, underneath, against, beneath, from, onto, until, along, beside, in, out, up, among, between, inside, over, upon, around, but (except), into, since, with, as, by, like, through and without among others.
Prepositional phrases do the same work in a sentence as adjectives and adverbs. A prepositional phrase that modifies a noun or pronoun is called an adjective phrase.
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