Following Are The Kinds of Noun Modifiers

Noun Modifiers
Noun modifiers are the modifiers that modify noun entities. These noun entities can be a one-
word noun or a noun phrase. Since noun modifiers modify noun entities, they must be placed
as close to the entity that they modify as possible to keep the meaning of the sentence logical
and clear.
Following are the kinds of noun modifiers:
Types Example Modifier Noun

entity
Adjectives The striped cat striped cat

jumped out of the
window.
Verb-ing The circling the The

modifiers planets circling the sun planets
sunform the solar
system.
Verb-ed The book kept on kept on the The book

modifiers the table belongs to table
my sister.
Prepositional The engine of the of the car The engine

phrases car died down
midway
Relative The man who is who is The man

Pronoun standing behind standing
Modifiers the fence is my behind the
trainer. fence
NOUN PHRASE – A noun phrase is a group of words that consists of a noun and a
modifier that modifies that noun. Study the table for examples:
EXAMPLE NOUN NOUN MODIFIER
a striped cat cat a striped
the engine of the car the engine of the car
Jimmy’s kitchen kitchen Jimmy’s
Following are the types of modifiers that come before the noun to make a noun
phrase:
Type Example Explanation
Articles a cat, the engine While in “a cat”, “a”

refers to just any cat,
in “the engine”, “the”
refers to particular
engine.
Possessive Nouns Jimmy’s kitchen “Jimmy’s” is the noun

in possessive case. It
acts an adjective that
modifies the noun
“kitchen”.
Possessive our cat, his car “our” & “his” are

Pronouns possessive pronouns
that refer to “cat” and
“car” respectively.
Adjectives a striped cat, a “striped” and

flowering plant “flowering” are
adjectives. They
modify “cat” and “plant”
respectively. Both the
modifiers give
information about the
nouns they modify.
Following are the examples of the modifiers that come after the noun in a noun
phrase:
Types Examples Explanation
Prepositional 1. the engine of 1. “of the car” start with

the car “of” & hence is a
phrases 2. the man behind prepositional phrase. It
the fence gives information about the
noun “the engine”
2. Prepositional phrase
“behind the fence” gives
information about “the
man”, a noun.
Relative pronoun 1. the cat that has 1. Although “that has

stripes stripes” is a clause,
clause 2. the author who together with “cat”, the
wrote the book whole entity is a noun
phrase.
2. The relative clause
starting with “who” and “the
author” together make a
noun phrase.
Verb-ing 1. the cat sitting 1. Verb-ing modifier

on the table “sitting…” is giving
modifiers 2. the guests information about the noun
staying in room 205 “the cat”.
2. “staying…” is giving
information about “the
guests”.
Verb-ed 1. the book kept 1. Verb-ed modifier

on the upper shelf “kept…” is giving
modifiers 2. the car driven information about the noun
by a chauffeur in “the book”.
uniform 2. “driven…” is giving
information about “the car”.
In rare occasions, we do see a noun phrase that starts with a pronoun and is
followed by a modifier modifying that pronoun:
Example Pronoun Modifier
1. 1. We who were We who were famished by

famished by then were still stuck
in the jungle. then

1. 2. Someone very Someone Very important

important has asked me to
deliver this to you.
1. 3. There is no one No one Intelligent enough

intelligent enough to understand
the forces of nature.
Noun Modifiers vs. Phrase or Clause Modifiers
ASCRIPTIVE NOUN + NOUN
A noun can specify (name) something or someone, or it can describe something or someone. This kind
of noun is an "ascriptive noun".
PRE-POSITION MODIFIER

It is an office chair. (a chair for an office)
May I have a soup spoon. (a spoon for soup)
Ring the door bell. (the bell of the door)
It is a picnic table. (a table for a picnic)
He rides a mountain bike. (a bike for mountains)
He is an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) agent. (an agent of the IRS)

*He is a Kyoto man. (a Kyotan, Kyoto-ite?) (a man from Kyoto)

NOUN + MODIFYING PHRASE / CLAUSE
While an adjective or ascriptive noun are placed before the noun, a phrase of clause (wordier modifiers)
are placed after the noun.
POST POSITION MODIFIER

It is a chair for an office. (PP)
May I have a spoon for soup. (PP)
Ring the bell that is for the door. (Relative Cls)
It is a table for picnics. (PP)
He rides a bike for mountain use. (PP)
He is an agent of the Internal Revenue Service. a tax man (PP)
He is a man from Kyoto. (PP + proper noun)

Following Are The Kinds of Noun Modifiers

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Noun Modifiers

Following are the kinds of noun modifiers:

Types Example Modifier Noun

Adjectives The striped cat striped cat

Verb-ing The circling the The

Verb-ed The book kept on kept on the The book

Prepositional The engine of the of the car The engine

Relative The man who is who is The man

EXAMPLE NOUN NOUN MODIFIER

a striped cat cat a striped

the engine of the car the engine of the car

Jimmy’s kitchen kitchen Jimmy’s

Type Example Explanation

Articles a cat, the engine While in “a cat”, “a”

Possessive Nouns Jimmy’s kitchen “Jimmy’s” is the noun

Possessive our cat, his car “our” & “his” are

Adjectives a striped cat, a “striped” and

Types Examples Explanation

Prepositional 1. the engine of 1. “of the car” start with

Relative pronoun 1. the cat that has 1. Although “that has

Verb-ing 1. the cat sitting 1. Verb-ing modifier

Verb-ed 1. the book kept 1. Verb-ed modifier

Example Pronoun Modifier

1. 1. We who were We who were famished by

1. 2. Someone very Someone Very important

1. 3. There is no one No one Intelligent enough

Noun Modifiers vs. Phrase or Clause Modifiers

ASCRIPTIVE NOUN + NOUN

May I have a soup spoon. (a spoon for soup)

Ring the door bell. (the bell of the door)

It is a picnic table. (a table for a picnic)

He rides a mountain bike. (a bike for mountains)

He is an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) agent. (an agent of the IRS)

NOUN + MODIFYING PHRASE / CLAUSE

May I have a spoon for soup. (PP)

Ring the bell that is for the door. (Relative Cls)

He rides a bike for mountain use. (PP)

He is an agent of the Internal Revenue Service. a tax man (PP)

He is a man from Kyoto. (PP + proper noun)

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