19. Observe that adverbs modify verbs in much the same way in which adjectives modify nouns.
| Adjectives | Adverbs |
|---|---|
| A bright fire burned. | The fire burned brightly. |
| A fierce wind blew. | The wind blew fiercely. |
A word or group of words that changes or modifies the meaning of another word is called a modifier.
Adjectives and adverbs, then, are both modifiers. Adjectives modify substantives; adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.
VI. PREPOSITIONS
20. A preposition is a word placed before a substantive to show its relation to some other word in the sentence.
The substantive which follows a preposition is called its object.
A preposition is said to govern its object.
In “The surface of the water glistened,” of makes it clear that surface belongs with water. In “Philip is on the river,” on shows Philip’s position with respect to the river. In, or near, or beyond would have indicated a different relation. Water is the object of the preposition of, and river is the object of the preposition on.
21. A preposition often has more than one object.