What are Modifiers in English Language?

Modifiers are words, phrases or clauses which function as adjectives or adverbs to describe a word or make its meaning more specific. In grammar, modifiers are optional elements in phrase structure or clause structure. They are called modifiers because they modify (change the meaning of) another element in the structure, on which it is dependent. Typically  modifiers can be removed without affecting the grammar of the sentence. Examples of modifiers discussed below-

Examples of Modifiers

Modifiers As Adjectives: When a modifier is an adjective, what it does is to modify a noun or a pronoun as you can see in the examples below-

Lee caught a small mackerel. (Here, the adjective small modifies the noun mackerel.)

Lee caught a small mackerel. (Don’t forget that articles (i.e., the, an, and a) are adjectives too. Here, a modifies the noun mackerel as does

small.)

Lee caught another one. (Here, the adjective another modifies the pronoun one.)

Modifiers As Adverbs

When a modifier is an adverb, it modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. Examples are seen below-

Lee accidentally caught a small whelk. (Here, the adverb accidentally modifies the verb caught.)

Lee caught an incredibly small mackerel. (Here, the adverb incredibly modifies the adjective small.)

Lee supposedly accidentally caught a small whelk. (Here, the adverb supposedly modifies the adverb accidentally.)

A Modifier Can Be a Phrase or a Clause

Don’t forget that phrases and clauses can play the roles of adjectives and adverbs too. For example-

Lee caught a mackerel smaller than a Mars bar. (This is an adjective phrase modifying the noun mackerel.)

Lee caught a mackerel of tiny proportions. (This is a prepositional phrase functioning as an adjective. It modifies the noun mackerel.)

Lee caught a mackerel which was smaller than a Mars bar. (This is an adjective clause modifyingmackerel.)

When alone, Lee tried to catch mackerel. (This is an adverbial phrase (of time) modifying the verb tried.)

When we left him alone, Lee set up his rod to catch mackerel. (This is an adverbial clause (of time) modifying the verb set up.)