462. The various kinds of modifiers and complements have all been studied in preceding chapters,—each in connection with the construction which it illustrates. For purposes of analysis, however, it is necessary to consider modifiers as such and complements as such.
The topics will be taken up in the following order:—(1) modifiers,—of the subject, of the predicate; (2) complements; (3) modifiers of complements; (4) modifiers of modifiers.
463. A word or group of words that changes or modifies the meaning of another word is called a modifier ([§ 19]).
- {Men | Able men | Men of ability} can always find employment.
- {Walls | Battlemented walls | Walls with battlements} usually enclosed mediæval cities.
- {Cottages | English cottages | Cottages in England} are often thatched.
- The boy listened {eagerly. | with eagerness.}
- I coughed {purposely. | on purpose.}
- The bullet passed {harmlessly. | without doing harm.}
464. Modifiers may be attached not only to substantives and verbs, but also to adjectives and adverbs.
All modifiers of substantives are called adjective modifiers; all modifiers of verbs, adjectives, and adverbs are called adverbial modifiers.
Note. The terms adjective modifier and adjective are not synonymous. All adjectives are adjective modifiers, but all adjective modifiers are not adjectives. Thus, in “Henry’s skates are rusty,” the possessive noun Henry’s is an adjective modifier, since it limits the noun skates as an adjective might do.
465. A group of words used as a modifier may be either a phrase or a clause ([§§ 40–46]).
- {Able men | Men of ability | Men who have ability} can always find employment.
- I spoke {thoughtlessly. | without thinking. | before I thought.}
A phrase or a clause used as an adjective modifier is called an adjective phrase or clause.