SC Notes

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modifiers:

place noun and its modifier as close as possible

comma which modifiers is non-essential modifiers

look for possessive nouns

where: cannot modify the metaphorical place

Researchers discovered that the most common risk factor resulting

in cholera epidemics is the lack of a clean water supply.

The adjective common describes the risk factor. (The adverb most refers to

common.) What about the more complex noun modifiers?

The word resulting is a participle. Note that it is not separated out from the rest of the sentence by a comma. Therefore, resulting in cholera epidemics signals a noun modifier; it refers to the risk factor.

The prepositional phrase of a clean water supply modifies the noun lack.

She is playing soccer. is playing = verb form

Playing soccer is fun. playing = subject (noun)

The girl playing soccer is my sister. playing soccer = noun modifier

She stayed all day, playing soccer

until she was the only one left on

the field.

playing soccer … field = adverbial

modifier

if there is no verb before -ing verb then -ing is not acting as a verb, as in examples other than first.

any -ing word not separated by a comma, is either will be a noun or modify a noun. Playing soccer is fun, The girl playing soccer is my sister.

Use WHICH only to refer to nouns—never to refer to an entire clause.