Modifier:
A modifier is a word or phrase, or clause that functions as an adjective or adverb. It provides additional information about another word or phrase. It is also known as an adjunct.
Modifier is of two types; Pre-modifier and Post-modifier
When modifiers appear before the head are called Pre- Modifier, and while modifiers appear after the head are called Post- Modifier.
Modifiers may be either restrictive (essential to the meaning of a sentence) or non-restrictive (additional but not essential elements in a sentence).
The grammatical items which are involved in Modifier are –
1) Determiner
2) Noun Adjective
3) Noun in Appositive
4) Infinitive
5) Infinitive Phrase
6) Relative Pronoun
7) Relative Clause
8) Prepositional Phrase
9) Adverb
10) Participle
Determiner: Determiner includes Article, Possessive, Demonstrative, and Adjective
i) Article: a) Indefinite: a and an b) Definite: the
ii) Possessive: my, your, our, his, her, their, its
(Note: All possessive pronouns come before noun. Example; My pen, our house, their land, its colour etc.)
iii) Demonstrative: this, that, these and those
iv) Adjective: Adjective is classified in various parts. Such as; a) Adjective of quality, b) Adjective of quantity or quantifier, c) Adjective of number d) Distributive adjective and e) pronominal adjective.
a) Adjective of quality: good, bad, honest, dishonest etc. (Note: Adjective of quality does not work as determiner but it works as modifier)
b) Adjective of quantity: some, many, much, little, few, huge, full, half etc.
c) Adjective of number or Numeral Adjective: It is classified in different parts.
i) Ordinal number: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th
ii) Cardinal number: one, two, three etc.
iii) Multiplicative number: once, twice, thrice etc.
iv) Collective number: pair, dozen etc.
v) Ranking number: primary, secondary and tertiary.
2) Noun Adjective (Noun + Noun): When two nouns sit in the same place then the first noun is called noun adjective.
For example; Dhaka City, Bangladesh Bank, School Bus, College Dress, Class room etc.
3) Noun in Appositive (Extra idea about Noun): When extra idea is given about Noun then it is called Noun in Appositive.
For example; i) Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh, is a very large city. ii) Bangladesh, a land of rivers, is our motherland. iii) Jahid, my best friend, is very serious in his study.
4) Infinitive (to + verb):
For example; i) To walk is good for health. ii) To swim is easy. iii) Fishes are good to eat.
5) Infinitive Phrase (to + verb + object):
For example; i) To walk in the morning is good for health. ii) To swim in the pond is easy. iii) Fishes are good to eat for our health.
6) Relative Pronoun: that, who, whose, whom, which, why, where, what, how etc.
For example; i) I know the man who is very honest. ii) This is the place where he was born. iii) I have no idea why he did the work. iv) He told me how to do it.
7) Relative Clause: The clause which begins with relative pronoun is called relative clause.
For example; i) I know the man who is very honest. ii) This is the place where he was born. iii) I have no idea why he did the work. iv) He told me how I can do it.
8) Prepositional Phrase: At the top of, by dint of, by means of, by virtue of, for the sake of, in case of, in comparison to, in course of, in favour of, in order to, in search of, in spite of, instead of, in the midst of, in view of, on account of, on behalf of, owing to, with a view to etc.
9) Adverb: An adverb is a word used to modify any part of speech except noun or pronoun. (J.C. Nesfield)
Classification of Adverb:
i) Adverb of time, ii) Adverb of place, iii) Adverb of manner, iv) Adverb of degree, v) Adverb of reason or purpose, vi) Adverb of affirmation and negation, vii) Intensifiers and viii) Downtoners
i) Adverb of time: কখন, কতক্ষন, বা কতবার কোন কাজ সম্পন্ন হয় তা বোঝাতে Adverb of time ব্যবহার হয়। এ ধরনের Adverb গুলো হলোঃ Now, then, ago, before, always, seldom, often, once, twice, again, today, yesterday, daily, regularly, early etc.
ii) Adverb of place: কাজটি কোথায় হচ্ছে বা কোথায় থেকে হচ্ছে বোঝাতে Adverb of place বসে। এ ধরনের Adverb গুলো হলোঃ here, there, far, near, above, below, inside, outside, locally etc.
iii) Adverb of manner: কীভাবে কোন কাজ সম্পন্ন হয় তা বোঝাতে Adverb of manner ব্যবহার হয়। এ ধরনের Adverb গুলো হলোঃ clearly, closely, correctly, bravely, badly, sadly, softly, steadily, slowly, simply, suddenly, carefully, carelessly, suddenly, easily, quickly, probably, wrongly, fortunately, unfortunately, naturally, wrongly etc.
iv) Adverb of degree: কোন কাজ কতটা বা কি পরিমান সম্পন্ন হয় তা বোঝাতে Adverb of degree ব্যবহার হয়। এ ধরনের Adverb গুলো হলোঃ almost, quite, very, much, fully, partially, completely, strongly, totally, entirely, deeply, half, poorly etc.
v) Adverb of reason or purpose: কোন কাজের কারণ বা উদ্দেশ্য বোঝাতে Adverb of reason or purpose ব্যবহার হয়। এ ধরনের Adverb গুলো হলোঃ hence, therefore, so, so that etc.
vi) Adverb of affirmation and negation: হ্যাঁ – বাচক বা না – বাচক শব্দ Adverb রুপে ব্যবহার হতে পারে। এ ধরনের Adverb গুলো হলোঃ yes, no, never.
vii) Intensifiers: যে Adverb গুলো verb এর কাজের উপর বিশেষ ভাবে জোর দেয়, সেগুলোকে Intensifier বলে। যেমনঃ very, very much, actually, certainly, surely, definitely, really, absolutely, indeed etc.
viii) Downtoners: যে adverb গুলি verb, adjective বা অন্য কোন adverb এর গুরুত্ব কমিয়ে দেয় সেগুলিকে Downtoners বলে। যেমনঃ hardly, barely, scarcely, nearly etc.
10) Participle: A participle is that form of verb which is partially a verb and partially an adjective. (Wren and Martin)
A participle is a double part of speech – a verb and an adjective combined. (Nesfield)
There are two types of participle; one is present participle and other is past participle.
i) Present participle (verb + ing – adjective):
a) We should not get down from a running b) A blooming flower is beautiful to look at. c) A barking dog seldom bites. d) We found the boys playing in the field. e) Hearing the noise the child woke up.
ii) Past participle:
a) We saw the trees laden with fruits. b) There is a broken chair in the room. c) He got a hidden treasure in his field. d) Driven by hunger, he stole a piece of bread.
(Source: Applied English Grammar and Composition by P. C. Das)