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What Are Modifiers? (with Examples)
Modifiers
A modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that describes something or makes its meaning more specific. Modifiers function as adjectives or adverbs.

Examples of Modifiers Functioning as Adjectives
When a modifier is an adjective, it modifies a noun or a pronoun. (In these examples, the modifiers are shaded, and the words being modified are bold.)Type of Modifier | Example |
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Single-word Adjective |
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- possessive determiners (e.g., "my," "your")
- demonstrative determiners (e.g., "this," "those")
- quantifiers (e.g., "many," "some," "two")
- interrogative adjectives (e.g., "which,""what")
- articles ("a," "an," "the")
Type of Modifier | Example |
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Adjectival Phrase |
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- prepositional phrases (e.g., "in the corner," "with the cake," "from your collection")
- infinitives (e.g., "to remember," "to buy," "to consider")
- participle phrases (e.g., "Looking over his glasses," "Imbued with common sense," "Knowing the area")
Type of Modifier | Example |
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Adjective Clause |
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Examples of Modifiers Functioning as Adverbs
When a modifier is an adverb, it modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. (In these examples, the modifiers are shaded, and the words being modified are bold.)Type of Modifier | Example |
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Single-word Adverb |
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Type of Modifier | Example |
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Adverbial Phrase |
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- Prepositional phrases (e.g., "in the corner," "without any effort whatsoever")
- Infinitive phrases. (e.g., "to keep the peace," "to think about the problem").
- An adverb with an intensifier. (e.g., "very carefully," "extremely slowly," "really loudly")
- They paid a day later than promised.
- I played every week.
Type of Modifier | Example |
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Adverbial Clause |
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- An adverbial clause contains a subject and a verb. (This is what makes it a clause as opposed to a phrase.)
- An adverbial clause is a dependent clause. This means it cannot stand alone as meaningful sentence in its own right.
- An adverbial clause usually starts with a subordinating conjunction (e.g., "because," "if," "until," "when," "like")
A Summary of Modifiers
As shown by these examples, modifiers come in lots of different formats. But, regardless of whether it's a single word, a phrase, or clause, a modifier functions as an adjective or an adverb. Put simply, a modifier is just a word(s) that describes another word(s). Also of note, a modifier that comes before whatever it modifies is called a "premodifier," and a modifier that comes afterwards is called a "postmodifier."Why Should I Care about Modifiers?
If you're learning grammar, you can't avoid the word "modifier." Most sentences will have some sort of modifier. After all, modifiers bring writing to life.As you will have seen, there are lots of different types of modifiers. Each of the different types has its own writing issues or traps, which are covered on the pages for the those specific entries. For example, writing issues related to possessive determiners are explained on the page about possessive determiners. Here though are three top-level points related to modifiers.
(Point 1) Be careful where you place your modifiers.
Here are three ways a modifier can fail by being positioned badly:(1) A Misplaced Modifier
A modifier is best placed alongside whatever it's modifying. If your modifier is too far away, it could lead to an ambiguous or wrong meaning. For example:
- John heard her when she whispered clearly.
- John heard her clearly when she whispered.
(2) A Squinting Modifier
If your modifier could feasibly modify the text to its left or right, move it to a less ambiguous position or reword your sentence. For example:
- His driving slowly becomes annoying.
- His slow driving becomes annoying.
(3) A Dangling Modifier
Make sure the thing being modified is actually in the sentence. For example:
- Peering out of the bush, a glint caught his eye.
- Peering out of the bush, John noticed a glint.
(Point 2) If your multi-word adverb (phrase or clause) is fronted, offset it with a comma.
- If you don't want your kids to be like Bart Simpson, don't act like Homer Simpson.
(Producer Matt Groening)
("If you don't want your kids to be like Bart Simpson" is an adverbial clause. As it's at the front of the sentence, it is followed by a comma. The comma is useful to show where the adverbial clause ends and the main clause starts.)
- After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.
(President Nelson Mandela)
("After climbing a great hill" is an adverbial phrase. It is fronted, so it is followed by a comma.)
- Don't act like Homer Simpson if you don't want your kids to be like Bart Simpson.
- One only finds that there are many more hills to climb after climbing a great hill.
- Yesterday we obeyed kings and bent our necks before emperors. Today we kneel only to truth, follow only beauty, and obey only love.
(Poet Khalil Gibran)
(Point 3) If your adjective clause is not essential for meaning, offset it with commas.
If your adjective clause does not define whatever it is modifying (i.e., it is just additional information), then offset it with commas.- John Smith, who saw the snake, has set a trap.
- The boy who saw the snake has set a trap.
Read more about using commas with "which," "that," and "who."
Key Points
- To avoid ambiguity, place your modifier alongside whatever it's modifying.
- If your multi-word adverb is fronted, use a comma. Don't use a comma if it's at the back.
- If your adverbial clause defines it's noun, don't offset it with commas.
Interactive Exercise
Here are three randomly selected questions from a larger exercise, which can be edited, printed to create an exercise worksheet, or sent via email to friends or students.- Do you disagree with something on this page?
- Did you spot a typo?