Modifier:
A modifier is a single word or a group of words which can be a phrase or clause. It
describes or provides more information about another word which is a subject, verb,
adjective, adverb, object, complement or another modifier.
There are two types of modifiers:
(i) Pre-modifier
(ii) Post-modifier
Pre-modifier: যে modifier সাধারণত য ান noun বা noun phrase-এর আগে বগস তাগ pre-
modifier বগে। He is a wise man.
Different kinds of pre-modifiers:
1. Adjective as Pre-modifier:
(a) Shimla gave him a beautiful picture.
N.B: This type of use of adjective is called attributive use.
2. Noun as Pre-modifier:
(a) We went to a book fair.
3. Participle as Pre-modifier: Participle/Participle phrase works as an adjective or
adverb. There are three types of participles.
(i) Present Participle as Pre-modifier: (verb base form +ing).
(a) He saw a running train.
(ii) Past Participle as Pre-modifier: (verb in past participle form)
(a) It was a written document.
(iii) Perfect Participle (Phrase) as Pre-modifier: (Having + verb in past participle
form)
(a) Having defeated the soldiers, the Captain sent them to prison.
4. Determiner as Pre-modifier:
Article (a, an, the)
Demonstrative pronoun (this, that, these, those)
Intensifiers (very, extremely, absolutely, really)
(a) Jerry purchased a mobile.
(b) Those players were playing in the field.
(c) He works very hard.
5. Quantifier as Pre-modifier: পররমান রনগদেশ
Before singular non-countable noun: much, little, a little, a great/good/vast/little
amount of, a lot of, a lot, more, less, some, adequate, enough.
Before plural countable noun: many, some, few, a great/good number of, a lot of, a
lot, three, ten, more, less, several, adequate, enough.
(a) She bought ten books from the book fair.
(b) I don’t spend much money unnecessarily.
(c) Many students attended the seminar.
(d) Bill Gates has a lot of money.
6. Possessive as Pre-modifier: (my, own, our, your, his, her, their, its, Karim’s)
(a) Her sister is an MBBS.
(b) I have already got your idea.
(c) Everybody knows its price.
7. Adverb as Pre-modifier:
Adverb before noun: below, under, above, up, down, very, fast, last, early, late, then.
Adverb before verb, adjective, adverb: quickly, slowly, extremely, very, fast, last,
soon, late, early, instantly, today, yesterday, here, there.
(a) The then Principal signed this letter.
(b) The down train will go there.
(c) The above passage is very difficult.
Post-modifier: যে modifier সাধারণত য ান noun বা noun phrase-এর পগর বগস তাগ post-
modifier বগে। Jerry has bought a book written by Nazrul.
Different kinds of post-modifiers:
1. Adjective / Adjective Phrase as Post-modifier:
(a) We made the room decorative.
(b) All the students present in the class protested the proposal.
2. Adverb as Post-modifier:
(a) He walks slowly.
(b) We see each other occasionally.
3. Appositive as Post-modifier: েখন দুটি noun বা noun phrase পাশাপারশ বগস এ ই বযক্তি,
বস্তু বা প্রারণগ বুঝায় তখন রিতীয় noun/noun phrase-টিগ প্রথম noun/noun phrase-টির
appositive বা case in apposition বো হয়।
(a) Babor, emperor of Delhi, was a pious man.
(b) Mr. Robin, the General Manager, is attending the party today.
N.B: Place comma (,) before and after appositive.
4. Participle (Phrase) as Post-modifier: Participle/Participle phrase works as an
adjective or adverb.
(i) Present Participle (Phrase) as Post-modifier: (verb base form +ing).
(a) We found the boys playing in the field.
(b) The man lying on the floor is a patient.
(ii) Past Participle (phrase) as Pre-modifier: (verb in past participle form)
(a) The book published in 1999 has been revised.
(b) The letter signed by the principal was posted.
4. Relative Clause as Post-modifier:
(a) John is my friend who is very hard-working.
(b) The man who came here is my friend.
5. Infinitive/ Infinitive phrase as Post-modifier: (to+ verb base form)
(a) I have an essay to write.
(b) She has a work to do.
6. Prepositional phrase as Post-modifier: (preposition+ other words)
(a) The girl in white dress is very beautiful.
Example:
Newspaper plays a very (a) ——– (pre-modify the noun) role in modern civilization. It
publishes new views of home and abroad. Only (b) ——– (pre-modify the noun)
knowledge is not enough in this competitive world. A newspaper helps a man (c) ——
— (post-modify the verb with infinitive) his general knowledge. Besides academic
books, one should read newspaper (d) ——- (post-modify the verb). Newspaper helps
one (e) ——– (post-modify the verb with an infinitive) the facts of the world. (f) ——-
(pre-modify the verb with a present participle phrase) regularly, one can be aware of
everything. There are (g) ——- (pre-modify the noun) kinds of newspapers. One should
select the newspaper (h) ——– (post-modify the verb). One should choose the (i) ——
pre-modify the noun) paper because many newspapers present news partially.
Whatever paper is, it (j) —— (pre –modify the verb) helps a man.
Answer:
(a) important (b) bookish (c) to increase (d) daily (e) to know (f) Reading (g) many (h)
correctly (i) right (j) certainly.
