Confused about adverbial vs adjectival modifiers

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ayushiiitm
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Topic: Confused about adverbial vs adjectival modifiers

Sun Jul 18, 2010 12:30 pm

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I was going through my notes today. I found an ambiguity inferring from my notes. I hope the community can help

1) At one place it is written that participles act as adjectival modifier (apart from being
part of verb)

2) Adverbial modifiers, always modify the subject and hence can be moved around in the sentence (of course avoiding any ambiguity)

3) Now present participle is a adjectival modifier, hence it should always be close to the noun that it modifies.

Paradox: It is said when present participle is used, it is considered to always modify the subject. But this rule was applied on adverbial modifiers. Why is it considered on adjectival modifier?

Can someone explain, what I am lacking in my understanding
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Sun Jul 18, 2010 4:26 pm

ayushiiitm wrote: I was going through my notes today. I found an ambiguity inferring from my notes. I hope the community can help 1) At one place it is written that participles act as adjectival modifier (apart from being part of verb) 2) Adverbial modifiers, always modify the subject and hence can be moved around in the sentence (of course avoiding any ambiguity) 3) Now present participle is a adjectival modifier, hence it should always be close to the noun that it modifies. Paradox: It is said when present participle is used, it is considered to always modify the subject. But this rule was applied on adverbial modifiers. Why is it considered on adjectival modifier? Can someone explain, what I am lacking in my understanding Where did you read that an adverb could modify the subject? Subjects are nouns, and only an adjective can modify a noun. Adverbs modify everything else. Here's the approach that I recommend. When you see a verb that is acting as a modifier, ask yourself the following question in order to identify what's being modified: Who/what is performing the action of the verb? The verb/modifier will be modifying whoever or whatever is performing the action of the verb. John ate all the cookies, upsetting Mary. Who or what is upsetting Mary? John is upsetting Mary (by eating all the cookies). So upsetting is modifying John. Mary entered the restaurant, excited to see all her friends. Who or what is excited? Mary is excited. So excited is modifying Mary. The other rule to remember: A modifier should be as close as possible to what it's modifying. If two answer choices both seem ok, but one places the modifier closer to what's being modified, eliminate the other answer choice and choose the answer choice that places the modifier closer. Hope this helps! _________________ Mitch Hunt GMAT Private Tutor and Instructor GMATGuruNY@gmail.com Contact me about long distance tutoring!