The academic writers mostly require to express complex concepts. They can do this by using complex noun phrases. For this, they need to know how to construct complex noun phrases by specifying and adding details to the head nouns of the noun phrases. Herein noun pre-modifiers can help them. Besides, with the help of post-modifiers, they can elaborate their ideas contained in the head nouns. This post details the pre-modification and post-modification of the head nouns so that the writers can have their required information.
1. Classes of Noun Modifiers
On the basis of their internal structure, noun modifiers can be put into two classes i.e., lexical as well as phrasal modifiers and clausal modifiers. Lexical and phrasal modifiers include adjectives, participles, nouns, prepositional phrases, and appositive phrases. These modifiers are also called modifiers of structural compression. In addition, the modifiers may be in the form of non-finite or finite clauses which function as noun modifiers for structural elaboration. The categories of these modifiers include present and past participial clauses, to-infinitive clauses, and relative clauses.
2. Noun Pre-modifiers
Commonly, pre-modifiers are placed into eight categories: adjectives, -ed participles, -ing participles, pre-modifying nouns, multiple pre-modifiers, coordinated pre-modifiers, nominalized pre-modifiers, and uncategorized pre-modifiers.
2.1 Adjectives
The role of adjectives as modifiers is to define, and specify nouns. Adjective can be put into roughly five types.
- Attributive adjectives (define the noun that follows them), e.g. financial support, political differences, recent research, etc.
- Gradable adjectives e.g. much higher choice, the less preferred option, etc.
- Adjectives derived from proper nouns, e.g. British visa, Italian food, Grecian urn, etc.
- Abbreviations used as adjectives, e.g. the BNC corpus, a 3D movie
- Participial adjectives, e.g. the running water, an exhausted athlete
Note: The use of participle adjectives (–ing, and –ed form of verb) as pre-modifiers is not common. While, the use of attributive adjectives is very frequent.
2.2 –ed Participial Modifiers
-ed Participial modifiers are based on two types of verb.
- –ed Participle (Regular Verbs), e.g. trimmed trees, spoiled child, earned money, etc.
- –ed Participle (Irregular Verb), e.g. broken mirror, known facts, written statement
These verbs are either regular verbs or irregular verbs.
2.3. -ing Participial Modifiers
The – ing participial modifiers stay before head nouns as, e.g. running business, shining face, twinkling star, etc.
2.4 Nouns as Modifiers
Nouns stay before the head noun to attribute it. These nouns can stay in three formats:
- Single noun: desert area, moon light, research method,
- Component of Compound noun: tooth paste, bus terminal, coffee shop
- Noun phrase: the investigation report, the research article, the university scholars
These formats are highly important in writing.
2.5 Multiple Pre-modifiers
With the purpose to add multiple pre-modifiers before a head noun, the writers use multiple words like adjectives and nouns before the head noun. The purpose of these words is noun’s further description e.g. high-profile figure, five-star hotel stay; small brown wooden table.
2.6 Coordinated pre-modifiers
The coordinated pre-modifiers are composed of two or more words or phrases joined by coordinating conjunctions like or, either … or, and both … and. The writers need to use these pre-modifiers to produce more various modification of a head noun. For example, a hard and fast rule, a healthy, happy life, a life and death struggle, etc.
2.7 Nominalized pre-modifiers
Nominalized words (verbs or adjective turned into nouns) do the function of pre-modifiers of the head noun. These modifiers describe or further specify the head noun of the phrase. For example:
- Her dancing style entranced everyone.
- The surplus painting materials need be saved.
The words in italics in the above examples are nominalized pre-modifiers.
2.8 Uncategorized pre-modifiers
Usually pre-modifiers are categorized (like adjectives or nouns acting as adjectives). However, some pre-modifiers do not stay as ones of the established categories. These are the combinations of words and phrases that stay as a component to modify the head noun. For example:
- Parentheses: e.g. Emotional Intelligence (henceforth, E I) development
- Prepositional Phrase: an on-the-foot decision
- Phrasal Verb: walk-in interviews, a stand-up meeting
- Clause:serve it yourself restaurant
The phrases in italics in the above constructions are the examples of uncategorized pre-modifiers.
3. Post-modifiers
The post-modifiers are placed into two categories, i.e. clausal post-modifiers and phrasal post-modifiers. The clausal post-modifiers may be in the form of finite relative clauses, non-finite participial clauses and to-clauses. Whereas, phrasal post-modifiers may stay in the form of prepositional phrases and appositive phrases.
3.1 Clausal Post-modification
The clausal post-modification can be put into five types.
3.1.1 Relative Clause
The relative clauses stay after the noun head. For example:
- a person who sustained me at every step in my life
- the financial conditions that led the country to the brink of bankruptcy
- the excellence of performance which the university expect
There may be alternative forms of expression which can be used instead of relative clauses (e.g. Support services which are all-time available versus All time available support services). It means, the information present in relative clauses can be placed before head noun as a pre-modifier.
3.1.1.1 Relativizers
These are the words that introduce relative clauses and include “who,” “whom,” “which,” “whose,” “that,” “why,” “when,” “where,” and “whereby”. The certain relativizers like which can take preposition before them, (e.g. the speed at which the cars consume more fuel). Furthermore, relative clauses can be produced with zero relativizer as well.
3.1.2 To-clause/Infinitive Clause
When a to-clause stays after head noun as a post-modifier in a noun phrase, it provides further information about the head noun. For example:
- a wise decision in my life was to reside close to sea shore
- the argument to convince the boss
The italicized constructions in the above examples are infinitive clauses.
3.1.3 Ing-clause/Present Participle Clause
An –ing clause (present participle) can perform the function of a post-modifier of a head noun. Its role is to help clarify or describe the head noun further through additional information. For example:
- the birds flying over the forest
- research scholars searching for the background knowledge
- coming across the clues, she made up her mind.
When an –ing clause stays as a post-modifier, it can also be expressed through an alternative form. For example, persons showing irresponsive attitude versus persons with irresponsive attitude
3.1.4 Ed-clause/Past Participial Clause
These clauses provide additional information about the head noun and commonly function as reduced relative clauses. It means, these can be converted into relative clauses with who, which or that relativizers. For example:
a. the garments purchased by the customers
b. the details given below
The italicized constructions in the above examples are past participial clauses.
3.1.5. Noun Complement Clause
Noun complement clauses can stay in noun phrases and provide additional information or clarification about the head noun. For example:
a. the medical report that the disease was getting serious
b. the fact that voters were not excited to vote
The italicized constructions in the above examples are noun complement clauses.
3.2 Non-clausal Post-modification
The non-clausal post-modification construction has six categories.
3.2.1 Prepositional Phrase
Prepositional phrases stay after the head nouns in noun phrases and add specifying details to it. For example:
- The baby in the bed is crying.
- I have developed exercises on word pronunciation.
- Please, prepare a list of requirements.
The italicized constructions in the above examples are prepositional phrases.
3.2.2 Adverb (phrase)
An adverb or adverb phrase following a head noun can act as a post-modifier. These post-modifiers often specify place, time, or manner regarding the head noun. For example:
- The event today does not appear starting on time.
- The way forward is investment in real estate.
- The car on the road is fuel-less.
The italicized constructions in the above examples are adverbs or adverb phrases.
3.2.3 Adjective (phrase)
An adjective or adjective phrase can follow a head noun in a noun phrase and act as a post-modifier. For example:
- The man on the hill top is my brother.
- There is nothing impossible in the world.
- The digital skills useful in writing…
The italicized constructions in the above examples are adjectives or adjective phrases.
3.2.4 Reflexive Pronouns
Reflexive pronouns (e.g., myself, himself, themselves, yourself) act as the post-modifiers of nouns. In this role, they emphasize or clarify the noun they refer to. Particularly, they specify or rename the nouns they follow. For example:
- They themselves admitted their fault.
- The pilot himself opted a wrong move.
- The hockey federation itself is struggling.
The italicized construction in the above examples are reflexive pronouns.
3.2.5 Appositive Noun Phrase
Appositive noun phrases as post-modifiers that rename or further identify the head nouns by providing additional information. For example:
- appear in parentheses, e.g., another solution (the ‘bank loan’)
- appear directly (essential) e.g., reflectivity R
- appear after punctuation, e.g., Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan
d. appear with indicators (for instance and such as)
The italicized constructions in the above examples are appositive noun phrases.
3.2.6 Multiple Post-modifier
Multiple post-modifiers are a composition of more than one phrase or clause and provide additional information for the head noun. For example:
- The children in the backyard of the house are disabled.
- The dog that chased the beggar in the street is now drinking milk.
The italicized constructions in the above examples are multiple post-modifiers.
4. Composite Use of Modifiers
In or of prepositional phrase may be followed by –ing clause and both play the composite role of post-modifiers of the head noun in a noun phrase. For example:
- The book in the drawer, containing mountain pics is …
- The people of this village, carrying old beliefs are …
Appositive and prepositional phrases can be used together or separately as the noun post-modifiers. For example:
- The house, next to my house, with brown door is for sale.
- The students (X, Y, Z) in the first row always put nobler questions.
This post carries information about pre and post modifiers of head nouns of noun phrases. Along with the general introduction of the pre and post modifiers, their sub-categories have been detailed and elaborated with appropriate examples. The information provided herein is very vital for the accomplishment of the academic writers.
Sources Consulted
Biber, et al. (1999)
Biber, Grieve, and Gina Iberri-Shea, (2008)
Mutiara, (2019)
Timyam, (2024)
Yang, (2015)
