Premodifiers

free web site hit counter

Home

Guide

Noun phrases

Premodifiers

Premodifiers

A noun headword can be given a lot more definition by placing words before it to modify its meaning:

SUBJECT			VERB	OBJECT
That	hungry young bull	elephant	likes	grass.
DETERMINER	PREMODIFIERS	HEADWORD

	The word modify is used to describe the way in which one word is applied to another in order to change its overall meaning. If it comes before the word, it premodifies it; if it comes after it, then it is a postmodifier.

Adjectives are the commonest type of premodifier for a noun. For example:
	a smooth* politician*
It is not just adjectives that can be used like this. Nouns can function in a similar way:
	a journalist* politician*
and so can parts of verbs:
	a disgraced* politician*
You can even use a noun phrase within a noun phrase:
	a prominent left wing* politician*

©John Seely 2008

Clause patterns


site search by freefind	advanced

Buy from Amazon US

| Home | Grammar Guide | Products | About | Contact |

Visit the author's website: www.johnseely.com


	Using the guide
	What is grammar?
	Grammar levels
	Types of sentence


	Introduction
	Subject+verb
	Subject+verb+object
	Subject+verb+object+object
	Subject+verb+complement
	Subject+verb+object+complement
	Subject+verb+adverbial
	Subject+verb+object+adverbial


	Introduction
	Proper & common nouns
	Countable & uncountable
	What are pronouns?
	Types of pronoun
	Noun phrases
	Determiners
	Premodifiers
	Postmodifiers
	Adjectives


	Meaning of 'verb'
	Verbs as word class
	Main verbs
	Auxiliary verbs
	Verbs as clause element
	English tenses
	Active & passive


	Adverbs & adverbials
	Adverbs
	Adverbials
	Adjuncts
	Conjuncts
	Disjuncts
	Prepositional phrases


	Real life sentences
	Simple sentences
	Compound sentences
	Complex sentences
	Nominal clauses
	Adverbial clauses