Modifiers

[SuruchiA1]

I am facing issue with the Modifiers when there is a combination of [Adjective+Adjective+noun - in which two adjectives modify the noun. The other scenario is [Adverb+Adjective+Noun]- in which adverb modifies the adjective, ehich in turn modifies the noun.

These two do no mean the same thing...E.g.,

for first scenario -

James Joyce is Max's Supposed Irish Ancestor

For second scenario -
Max's grandmother is his supposedly Irish ancestor.

Please clarify the difference.

Source - MGMAT SC (Pg 82)
Regards,
Suruchi

[ceilidh.erickson]

In the first scenario, both "supposed" and "Irish" modify "ancestor." He's a supposed ancestor (meaning that we don't really know if he's an ancestor, we just suppose), and he's an Irish ancestor.

In the second scenario, "supposedly" is modifying "Irish," but not "ancestor." The grandmother is supposedly Irish, meaning that we don't if she's really Irish.

Does that make sense?