Lesson 3: Understanding

The English Sentence

Bruce Clary, McPherson College, McPherson, Kansas

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Modifiers
serve to change or identify other parts of the
sentence. There are only two kinds of modifiers:

Adjectives modify nouns or pronouns.

Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other

adverbs.

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To identify modifiers
Adjectives: Answer the questions What kind? How
many? or Which one? about a noun or pronoun.

Adverbs: Answer the questions How? When?

Where? Why? To what extent? or Under what
conditions? about a verb, adjective, or other adverb.
Ex: Metallic paint shines brightly in the sunlight.
Ex: Several serious problems exist today.

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Ex: Fierce, tornadic winds arose quickly.

Ex: The hardy Kiowas were excellent horsemen.

Ex: Cold, icy sleet fell steadily.

Ex: Hard-working students often make very good

grades.

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Phrases
are word groups that begin with a preposition or a
verb form and that function as a single part of a
sentence.

Well study verbal phrases later in the course. For

now, well concentrate on prepositional phrases,
which always function as modifiers.

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Prepositional Phrases
are word groups that begin with a preposition and
end with a noun or pronoun object (the object of
the preposition). The preposition denotes the
relationship between its object and the word the
phrase is modifying.

Prepositional phrases are always adjective or

adverb phrases.

NOTE: Prepositional phrases can function as

predicate adjectives.

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Some Common Prepositions

about

above

after

against

among

around

at

before

behind

beneath

between

by

down

except

for

from

in

inside

into

like

of

off

on

onto

over

past

since

than

to

towards

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Adjective Phrases
Ex: Omar changed the settings on his computer.
Ex: Thor is the greatest superhero in the world.
Ex: She felt the weight of the books in her backpack.
Ex: That group of kids destroyed five of the roses.

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Adverb Phrases
Ex: Many students work out in the weight room.
Ex: Pets are not allowed in my apartment.
Ex: David grew a thick mustache over the summer.
Ex: All of us lay down for a nap after our hike.

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Practice
Great billowing clouds sail upon the sky. Their
shadows move upon the grain like water.
The sun is at home on those plains.
For more than a hundred years, the Kiowa
controlled the open range from the Smoky Hill River
to the Red, from the headwaters of the Canadian to
the fork of the Arkansas and Cimarron.