What Are You Referring To? Modifiers Made SimpleEng 050

ModifiersEarlier this semester we discussed modifiers, and how they define and explain other words.Modifiers come in two forms

AdjectivesAdverbs

This PowerPoint is going to go over how to use them so that we can ultimately spot how NOT to use them.

Modifiers--AdjectivesAdjectives modify, or describe, nouns or pronouns.They can be placed before the word they modify, or they can follow the word they modify if linking verbs are used.

We ate the moist, sweet cake.—Before the nounThe cake was moist and sweet.—After the noun, and with a linking verb

Comparing with Adjectives

Most adjectives have three formsBasicComparative—used to compare two items or indicate a greater degreeSuperlative—used to compare three or more items or indicate the greatest degreeFor one syllable adjectives, and some two-syllable adjectives, use –er to compare two items, and –est to compare three or more items

Tall (basic); taller (comparative); tallest (superlative)Old (basic); older (comparative); oldest (superlative)Hot (basic); hotter (comparative); hottest (superlative

Comparing with Adjectives

For two-syllable adjectives, and all longer adjectives, use “more” to compare two items and “most” to compare three or more items.

Careful (basic); more careful (comparative); most careful (superlative)Relaxed (basic); more relaxed (comparative); most relaxed (superlative)Content (basic); more content (comparative); most content (superlative)

Comparing with Adjectives

For negative comparisons, use “less” to compare two items, and “least” to compare three or more items

Beautiful (basic); less beautiful (comparative); least beautiful (superlative)Familiar (basic); less familiar (comparative); least familiar (superlative)

FYI, there’s some adjectives that you cannot use for comparison at all. These include:

Complete, dead, empty, equal, favorite, horizontal, impossible, pregnant, square, supreme, unanimous, unique

Common Adjective Errors

There’s two main types of errors when it comes to adjectives in the comparative and superlative.

Instead of using one method for forming the comparative or superlative (more or less, or –er or –est), both are used together.

Incorrect-— “The top shelf is more longer than the bottom shelf.”Correct— “The top shelf is longer than the bottom shelf.”Incorrect— “That is the most silliest hat I’ve ever seen.”Correct— “That is the silliest hat I’ve ever seen.”

Common Adjective Errors

The second error occurs when the comparative or superlative is used with the wrong number of items. The comparative form should be used for two items, and the superlative for three or more items.

Incorrect--- “Barb’s chili recipe is the hottest of the two.”Correct—“Barb’s chili recipe is the hotter of the two.”Incorrect– “Ross is the younger of the three brothers.”Correct– “Ross is the youngest of the three brothers.”

Using Good and Bad Correctly

The adjectives “good” and “bad” are irregular because they do not form the comparative and superlative like the other adjectives. Instead, they use these formats:

Good (basic); better (comparative); best (superlative)Bad (basic); worse (comparative); worst (superlative)

Examples:Incorrect—That is the bestest play I have ever seen.Correct—That is the best play I have ever seen.Incorrect—His health is getting more worst as time goes by.Correct---His health is getting worse as time goes by.

AdverbsWe may recall that adverbs modify verbs, adjectives and other adverbs. They DO NOT modify nouns (because that’s what the adjectives do). Adverbs answer the questions “how,” “when,” “where,” “how often,” and “to what extent.”Some words are always adverbs

Here, there, not, never, now, again, almost, often, and wellOther words are turned into adverbs by adding –ly.

Quiet vs quietly; perfect vs perfectly; strange vs strangely

Comparing with Adverbs

Like adjectives, adverbs have three forms: basic, comparative (used to compare two forms) and superlative (used to compare three or more forms)For positive comparisons, adverbs form the comparative and superlative in two different ways

For one-syllable adverbs, use –er and –est to form the comparisons

Fast (basic); faster (comparative); fastest (superlative)Near (basic); nearer (comparative); nearest (superlative)

Comparing with Adverbs

For adverbs of two or more syllables, use more to compare two items, and most to compare three or more items

Beautifully (basic); more beautifully (comparative); most beautifully (superlative)Awkwardly (basic); more awkwardly (comparative); most awkwardly (superlative)

For negative comparisons, adverbs (like adjectives) use less to compare two items and least to compare three or more items

Often (basic); less often (comparative); least often (superlative)Frequently (basic); less frequently (comparative); least frequently (superlative)Vividly (basic); less vividly (comparative); least vividly (superlative)

Comparing with Adverbs

Note: Like adjectives, certain adverbs are not usually compared. For example, something cannot last “more eternally,” or work “more uniquely.” To do so is to commit errors of logic. Here’s a list of adverbs that can’t be compared.

Endlessly; eternally; infinitely; equally; impossibly; invisibly

Comparing with Adverbs

Adjectives vs adverbs---what’s the difference?One of the most common errors of grammar is to use an adjective when an adverb is called for. Remember, adverbs modify verbs, adjectives and other adverbs. They do not modify nouns or pronouns

Incorrect: She spoke too slow. Correct: She spoke too slowly. (“Slowly” is the adverb form because it ends in –ly. It is describing how she spoke, indicating that an adverb is called for).Incorrect: He was real happy with the decision. (“Real” here is modifying “happy,” so it needs to be in adverb form).Correct: He was really happy with the decision.

Double NegativesThis is among the most jarring of all adverb-adjective errors! Essentially it is the use of two negatives in one clause.

Examples of negative words include no, not, never, none, nothing, neither, nowhere, nobody, barely, and hardly. These cannot be used together.

Incorrect: We never had no break today. Read this sentence closely. It actually means that we had a break today.Correct: We had no break today.Incorrect: Jim does not owe me nothing. This is actually saying Jim owes me something.Correct: Jim does not owe me anything.Incorrect: My mom doesn’t hardly get any time to herself. This is actually saying that mom gets time to herself.Correct: My mom doesn’t get much time to herself.

Using Good/Well and Bad/Badly Correctly

These words are very frequently misused, and so need extra attention.

Good is an adjectiveWell is an adjective or an adverb, depending on how it’s used.

Use good with a noun or after a linking verb.

What a good dog. (“good” is modifying “dog”)The soup tastes good. (“tastes” here is the linking verb connecting “soup” and “good”)

Using Good/Well and Bad/Badly Correctly

Use well when describing someone’s health or after an action verb. Well is used as an adverb.

I am well, thank you. She plays well with others. (“She plays good” is incorrect).

Bad is an adjective. Use it with a noun or after a linking verb.

Always use bad after feel if you are talking about emotions.

That looks like a bad cut.I feel bad that I lost the ticket.

Using Good/Well and Bad/Badly Correctly

Badly is an adverb. Use badly with an adjective, or after an action verb.

The steak is badly burned.She drives badly.

Modifier ErrorsBy now you may have seen me write notes on your papers that said “dangling modifier.” Now we’re going to explain the error. Here’s a few examples:

The teacher told the students their grades would be posted before she dismissed them.To enter the contest, the application must be submitted by Friday.We found the magazine and put it in a safe place that had an article about saving money.

Modifier ErrorsWhat’s wrong with these sentences, you may be asking. These all have modifier errors.

Misplaced modifiers—when a modifier is too far from the word it refers toDangling modifiers—when the word the modifier refers back to is missing

Misplaced modifiersIncorrect: Brad yelled at his roommate in his underwear. This begs the question of who is in their underwear…Brad or the roommate? It depends on what you are trying to say.Correct: Brad yelled at his roommate, who was in his underwear.Correct: In his underwear, Brad yelled at his roommate.

Modifier ErrorsMisplaced modifiers

Incorrect: The students were told to turn in their papers after the bell. Again, what does this mean? Were they told to turn in their papers after the bell rang? Or did the teacher tell them this after the bell rang? Again, it depends on your meaning.

The teacher told the students to turn in their papers after the bell.After the bell, the teacher told the students to turn in their papers.

Modifier ErrorsMisplaced modifiers and limiting words

There’s certain modifiers that limit meaning. If misplaced, these can cause much confusion, so they need to be used carefully.

Limiting words include almost, hardly, merely, only, even just, just, nearly, and scarcely.

Only Laverne says that Shirley was home in the evening. (This means that only Laverne is saying this.)Laverne only says that Shirley was home in the evening. (This means that Laverne says this but doesn’t mean it.)Laverne says that only Shirley was home in the evening. (This means that Shirley was the only one home in the evening).Laverne says that Shirley was only at home in the evening. (This means that Shirley didn’t leave the house in the evening).

Dangling ModifiersDangling modifiers

Modifiers are dangling when they have nothing to refer to in a sentence. Dangling modifiers start with “to” or end in “ing,” and appear at the beginning of a sentence.

Incorrect: Having lived in Los Angeles for 20 years, the traffic is horrible. See how this sentences doesn’t make sense? It begs the question of who has lived in Los Angeles for 20 years?Correct: Having lived in Los Angeles for 20 years, Carrie can tell you that the traffic is horrible.Carrie has lived in Los Angeles for 20 years, and can tell you that the traffic is horrible.

Dangling ModifiersIncorrect: To order more food, the coupon must be presented in person. Correct: To order more food, you must present the coupon in person. Correct: You must present the coupon in person to order more food. Incorrect: The refrigerator was full after ordering more groceries.Correct: After buying groceries, we had a full refrigerator.Correct: The refrigerator was full after we bought more groceries.