CHAPTER V

MODIFIERS OF COMPLEMENTS AND OF MODIFIERS

COMPLEMENTS MODIFIED

+494.+ Complements, being either substantives or adjectives, may be modified in various ways, most of which have been noted in Chapter III.

1. A +substantive+ used as a +complement+ may have the same kinds of modifiers that are used with the +subject+ (§ 466).

2. An +adjective complement+ admits only +adverbial modifiers+.

+495.+ The following sentences illustrate the modifiers of substantive complements:--

Herbert lost _a gold_ watch. [The direct object (_watch_) is modified by the adjectives _a_ and _gold_.]

The duke built towers _of marble_. [The direct object (_towers_) is modified by the adjective phrase _of marble_.]

My father built _the_ house _in which I was born_. [The direct object (_house_) is modified by the adjective _the_ and the adjective clause _in which I was born_.]

I saw _a_ man _running_ across the field. [The direct object (_man_) is modified by the adjective _a_ and the participle _running_.]

You have forfeited _your_ right _to vote_. [The direct object (_right_) is modified by the possessive pronoun _your_ and the infinitive _to vote_.]

I have seen _Henry’s_ brother. [The direct object (_brother_) is modified by the possessive noun _Henry’s_.]

I must ask _my_ brother, the _mayor_. [The direct object (_brother_) is modified by the possessive pronoun _my_ and the appositive _mayor_.]

The guild has elected Walter _honorary_ president. [The predicate objective (_president_) is modified by the adjective _honorary_.]

Her husband is _an old_ soldier. [The predicate nominative (_soldier_) is modified by the adjectives _an_ and _old_.]

Her sons are veterans _of the Franco-Prussian war_. [The predicate nominative (_veterans_) is modified by the adjective phrase _of the Franco-Prussian war_.]

They are rivals _in business_. [The predicate nominative (_rivals_) is modified by the adjective phrase _in business_.]

The author is Will Jewell, _who was formerly editor of_ “_The Pioneer_.” [The predicate nominative (_Will Jewell_) is modified by the adjective clause _who was formerly editor_, etc.]

Baldwin is _the_ man _standing_ under the tree. [The predicate nominative (_man_) is modified by the adjective _the_ and the participle _standing_.]

Your chief fault is _your_ inclination _to procrastinate_. [The predicate nominative (_inclination_) is modified by the possessive pronoun _your_ and the infinitive _to procrastinate_.]

This man is _Gretchen’s_ brother. [The predicate nominative (_brother_) is modified by the possessive noun _Gretchen’s_.]

The first to fall was _the_ bugler, _John Wilson_. [The predicate nominative (_bugler_) is modified by the adjective _the_ and the appositive _John Wilson_.]

+496.+ +Adjective clauses+ are very common as modifiers of substantive complements (cf. § 468).

Have you lost the watch _that your cousin gave you_?

This is the very spot _where the temple of Saturn stood_.

The general issued an order _that all non-combatants should be treated well_.

We have abundant proof _that during his stay on the Continent, Bacon did not neglect literary and scientific pursuits_.

+497.+ An +adjective+ used as a complement may be modified by an +adverb+, an +adverbial phrase+, or an +adverbial clause+.

I am _very_ sorry _for you_. [_Sorry_ is modified by the adverb _very_ and the adverbial phrase _for you_.]

Charles seems {_rather_ | _very_ | _extremely_} angry.

The road is rough {_in places_. | _where they are repairing it_.}

The whole tribe appeared eager _for war_.

He grew envious _of his successful rival_.

Be zealous _in every righteous cause_.

The chief’s face looked dark _with passion_.

He was selfish _beyond belief_. [The predicate adjective (_selfish_) is modified by the adverbial phrase _beyond belief_.]

Ellen seemed desirous _that her friends should admire her_.

The secretary appeared unwilling _to resign_. [See § 321, note.]

MODIFIERS OF OTHER MODIFIERS

+498.+ +Modifiers may themselves be modified.+

The chief varieties of such modification are illustrated in the following sentences.

I. +Adjectives+ or +adjective phrases+ may be modified by +adverbs+ or by words or groups of words used adverbially.

A _very_ old man came to the door.

An _exceedingly_ dangerous curve lay beyond the bridge.

This _rather_ odd proposal interested us.

The quay is _miles_ long. [Adverbial objective (§ 109).]

_At least_ five different amendments have been offered. [_Five_ is modified by the adverbial phrase _at least_.]

The general, _wholly_ in the dark as to the enemy’s intentions, ordered an advance. [The adjective phrase _in the dark_ is modified by _wholly_.]

_Quite_ at his ease, John began to speak. [_At his ease_ is modified by _quite_.]

Her smile, pathetic _in its weariness_, quickly faded. [The adverbial phrase modifies _pathetic_]

This sleeve is _a good two inches_ short. [The phrase modifies _short_.]

II. +Possessive nouns+ may be modified by adjectives or by possessives.

_The poor_ man’s days are numbered.

_Honest_ Tom’s face shone with delight.

_The faithful_ animal’s head drooped.

_My_ uncle’s barn is on fire.

_John’s_ brother’s name is Reginald.

III. +Appositives+ may be modified by adjectives or by groups of words used as adjectives.

Joe, _the old_ butler, met me at the station.

Sam, _the cunning_ rascal, had stolen the oars.

Her mother, a woman _of fashion_, sadly neglected her.

The other, the man _at the table_, laughed rudely.

Ferdinand Oliver, the engineer _who had charge of the construction_, proved incompetent.

Two Englishmen, friends _whom I visited last summer_, are coming to New York in December.

IV. +Adverbs+ or +adverbial phrases+ may be modified by adverbs or by words or groups of words used adverbially.

Jane plays _very_ well.

Robert spoke _almost_ hopefully.

She answered _quite_ at random.

I write to him _at least_ once _a year_.

+499.+ An adjective may be modified by an +infinitive+ (§ 321).

Unable _to move_, I suffered torments of anxiety.

The sailors, eager _to reach_ the island, plunged into the sea.

Reluctant _to act_, but unwilling _to stand_ idle, Burwell was in a pitiful state of indecision.

+500.+ Adjective and adverbial clauses are very common as modifiers of modifiers (cf. § 496).

Geronimo, an old chief _who bore the scars of many battles_, led the attack. [The adjective clause modifies the appositive _chief_.]

The servant, angry _because he had been rebuked_, slammed the door as he went out.

The hunter, confident _that the deer had not heard him_, took deliberate aim.

The fugitive, in a panic _lest he should be overtaken_, made frantic efforts to scale the cliff. [The adverbial clause modifies the adjective phrase _in a panic_.]