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.]