SC - Modifiers

Question 1

Noun modifiers

Answer 1

Modify the noun, need to be as close as possible to avoid confusion.

Essential modifiers trump non- essential modifiers for being placed closer to noun in question.

Question 2

Adverbial modifiers

Answer 2

Modify anything but nouns (verbs, adjectives, clauses, prepositional phrases, other modifiers, etc.)

More flexibility on position - just needs to point to one verb or clause. It points to the correct verb or clause as long as it is not structurally closer to another verb or clause.

Answers Qs, how, where, when and why an action occurred

Question 3

Noun modifier markers - Relative Pronouns

Answer 3

, which (cannot modify people, modifies things)
…that… (modifies noun directly before it)
, who (must modify people)
, whose (modifies people or things)
, whom (people only, sometimes follows a preposition)
, where (modifies noun place, a metaphorical place is “in which”)
, when (noun event or time period, age or decade, “in which” also ok)

Question 4

Noun Modifier Markers - prepositions and participles

Answer 4

Preposition that immediately follows a noun, it modifies that noun

Participle follows a noun without commas, it modifies that noun

Question 5

Present participle characteristics (“playing”)

Answer 5

Verb (“he is playing”)
Noun (“playing is fun”)
Noun modifier (not in verb form, not separated by comma and is not a noun, “the boy playing guitar is cool”)
Adverbial modifier (, -ing “the boy sat there all day, playing the guitar until everyone left”)

Question 6

Past participle (-ed words “played”)

Answer 6

Verb form (He played.)
Cannot be a noun
Noun modifier ("She bought an expired lotto ticket")
Adverbial modifier (, - ed "exhausted from her job, she slept for 20 hours straight")

Question 7

Check sequence with participle adverbial modifiers?

Answer 7

Should make sense

What comes first should lead or result in what comes next.

Question 8

Subordinate clauses and subordinators

Answer 8

Like a complete sentence, but not complete because it has a subordinator. Modifies the main clause. Watch - if sets up for contrast, make sure the contrast does indeed follow.

Although, before, unless, because, that, so that, if, yet, after, while, since, when

Question 9

Conjunctions - FANBOYS

Answer 9

Special because very common and connect independent clauses

Coordinating conjunctions

For
And 
Nor
But
Or
Yet
So

Question 10

Common prepositions

Answer 10

Of
In
To
For
With
On
By 
At
From

Question 11

, which versus present participle

Answer 11

, which only refers to closest preceding noun

If trying to refer to a verb in the sentence or the full clause, need to use - ing or change structure completely and remove which.

Question 12

Modifier v Core

Answer 12

Long underlines, parts of the sentence will move and often modifiers will change to become part of the core

Be aware

This can help straighten sentence meaning

Question 13

Countable modifiers v. Uncountable modifiers

Answer 13

Many hats v. Much patience 
Few stores v. Little merchandise
Fewer children v. Less money
Fewest shoes v. Least greed
Number of chairs v. Amount of furniture 
Numerous books v. Great courage

More, most, enough, all work with both

Question 14

Comparison modifiers two things, three or more things

Answer 14

Two things, use comparative form (faster)
Three or more things, use superlative (fastest)

Between is used when two things or people are discussed.

Among is used for 3+ things or people are discussed.

Question 15

Use of the word “numbers”

Answer 15

Use greater than, not more than

Question 16

Increase and decrease v. Greater and Less

Answer 16

Increase and decrease represent a change over time of one thing.

Greater or less signal a comparison of two things

Watch out for redundancy with sentences using words increase and decrease.