Adjectival and Adverbial Modification

A modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that adds information to another element in a sentence. Modifiers make language more precise by describing, limiting, qualifying, or explaining other words.

Two major types are adjectival modification and adverbial modification.

Adjectival Modification

An adjective typically modifies a noun or pronoun:

a beautiful house
an intelligent student
an expensive car

Adjectival modifiers can occur before a noun:

She bought a new English book.

or after a linking verb:

The book is interesting.

They can also occur in phrases and clauses:

students interested in science
the man who lives next door

The words interested in science and who lives next door provide adjectival information about the noun.

Adverbial Modification

An adverb or adverbial phrase typically modifies a verb, adjective, another adverb, or sometimes an entire clause:

She speaks quietly.
The examination was extremely difficult.
He works very efficiently.
Fortunately, nobody was injured.

Adverbials can express:

• Manner: carefully, quickly, politely
• Time: yesterday, soon, after lunch
• Place: here, outside, in the office
• Frequency: often, rarely, every day
• Degree: very, extremely, almost
• Reason or purpose: because of the rain, to save time
• Condition: if necessary, under certain circumstances

Modification and Meaning

Modifiers can significantly change meaning:

a large house
a house near the river

The first describes the size of the house; the second identifies its location.

A modifier therefore does more than add decoration. It helps establish which person or thing is being discussed and what is being said about it.