This week: HELP! I misplaced my modifier! Edited by: Lilli 🧿 ☕ More Newsletters By This Editor
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"I think most people agree there is a component of skill in art making; you have to learn grammar before you learn how to write."
~ Chris Van Allsburg, author
"Like everything metaphysical the harmony between thought and reality is to be found in the grammar of the language."
~ Ludwig Wittgenstein, Austrian Philosopher
"Grammar is a piano I play by ear. All I know about grammar is its power."
~ Joan Didion, author |
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This week we will discuss, with examples, what a modifier is and its proper placement.
What is a "modifier"?
A modifier is a word or phrase that describes or limits another word or phrase.
Ok, let's get started...
Place the modifiers next to or close to the sentence elements that they modify.
Next year, everyone in the company will not get a raise.
This sentence says that nobody at all will get a raise. If we move the word 'not' the sentence changes dramatically.
Next year, not everyone in the company will get a raise.
Do you see the difference? Now we see that some people will get a raise.
Be careful with certain words like only, even, just, nearly, merely, or simply. These words should be placed immediately before the word it modifies.
She only likes Tom.
She likes only Tom. (Tom is the only one she likes.)
Sentence meaning can change significantly as the position of only changes, so careful placement is important.
Examples:
Only the journalist began to investigate the forgery.
'Only' the journalist and no one else.
The journalist only began to investigate the forgery.
Began, but didn't finish.
The journalist began to investigate only the forgery.
Investigated the forgery and nothing else.
Place a word or phrase close to the word it modifies.
Margaret argues that a woman's dreams will not always come true in her essay.
What is being said here? Will the dreams come true in Margaret's essay or does Margaret argue in her essay?
In her essay, Margaret argues that women's dreams will not always come true.
As we can see, it's not just the words that are important, but their placement is too!
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Comments received from my last Drama Newsletter, "Dealing With Fellow Creatives" :
GeminiGem🐾 said...
Your first suggestion is great, and I agree with it 100% except...when you have made a commitment before you can see the review you committed to do. I have in mind when you are judging a contest where judges are required to review all entries. This can be one of the toughest things to do. You have to dig really deep to come up with things that have been done correctly/right/well enough so that the review doesn't come off as a negative dump.
I agree that contest entries need to be reviewed.
Choconut said...
Some great advice on reviewing, with some really useful items to help point us in the right direction. I love the idea of the sandwich review. I'd never heard that term before, but it's how I always structure my reviews. I also like your advice to ask yourself whether the review you are writing is the kind of review you would like to receive. Kindness. That's the key.
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