Glossary
Adjective
A single-word modifier that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun.
Example:
The challenging question required careful thought on the exam.
Adverb
A single-word modifier that describes or modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.
Example:
She solved the complex math problem quickly and accurately.
Dangling Modifier
A modifier that does not clearly or logically modify any word in the sentence, often because the intended subject of the action is missing.
Example:
After studying all night, the exam felt easy. (Implies the exam studied all night.)
Limiting Modifiers
Words like 'only,' 'almost,' 'just,' 'nearly,' and 'hardly' that restrict or qualify the meaning of the word they modify, requiring precise placement.
Example:
She only brought two pencils to the test. (Implies she did nothing else with two pencils.)
Misplaced Modifier
A modifier that is positioned too far from the word or phrase it is supposed to describe, leading to confusion or an illogical meaning.
Example:
The student ate a sandwich on the way to school that was delicious. (Sounds like the school was delicious.)
Modifier
A word, phrase, or clause that adds extra information, clarifies, describes, or restricts the meaning of another word or phrase in a sentence.
Example:
The brightly colored bird sang sweetly from the tree branch.
Modifier Placement
The principle that modifiers should be placed as close as possible to the word or phrase they are intended to modify to ensure clarity.
Example:
Incorrect placement: 'He saw a dog with one eye running down the street.' Correct placement: 'He saw a dog running down the street with one eye.'
Participial Phrase
A phrase beginning with a participle (a verb form ending in -ing or -ed) that functions as an adjective, modifying a noun or pronoun.
Example:
Running late for the bus, the student grabbed their backpack and dashed out the door.
Prepositional Phrase
A phrase consisting of a preposition, its object, and any modifiers of the object, often functioning as an adjective or adverb.
Example:
The book on the top shelf contains all the practice questions.
Squinting Modifier
A type of misplaced modifier that is ambiguously placed, making it unclear whether it modifies the word before it or the word after it.
Example:
The teacher told the students often to review their notes. (Does 'often' modify 'told' or 'review'?)
Subject
The main noun or pronoun in a sentence that performs the action or is being described.
Example:
The student aced the digital SAT, feeling incredibly proud.
Subordinate Clause
A group of words with a subject and a verb that cannot stand alone as a complete sentence and functions as a modifier (adjective, adverb, or noun).
Example:
Because the test was digital, students brought their own laptops.