The subject coin is a general name for all such pieces of metal. I will write the word the before this sentence. The coin is stamped. I have now made an assertion about one particular coin, so the meaning of the subject is limited by joining the word the.
I can again limit the meaning of the subject by putting the word a before it. The assertion is now about one coin, but no particular one. I point to the piece near me and say, This coin is stamped. I point to the one farther from me and say, That coin is stamped.
When words are joined to the subject to limit its meaning, we say that the subject is modified.
The words the, a, this, and that modify the subject by limiting the word to one coin, or to one particular coin.
We can modify the subject by joining some word which will tell what kind of coin is meant.
Here is a coin dated 18—. We can say, The new coin is stamped. Here the word new tells what kind of coin is meant. What other words can I use to modify coin? +P.—+Beautiful, bright, new, round, silver. +T.—+These words beautiful, bright, new, round, and silver modify the subject by telling the qualities of the coin.
We call the words the, beautiful, etc., +Modifiers+.
+DEFINITION.—A Modifier is a word or group of words joined to some part of the sentence to qualify or limit the meaning+.
The +Subject+ with its +Modifiers+ is called the +Modified Subject+.