Modifying - The Communicative Grammar of English Workbook

The Communicative Grammar of English Workbook (2013)

UNIT FOURTEEN. Modifying

14.1. Restrictive and non-restrictive meaning

Sections 110–112

Modifiers before or after the noun help to specify the meaning exactly.

There is also a non-restrictive type of modifier, such as a non-defining relative clause.

Sometimes a modifying adjective before a proper noun can be non-restrictive.

Task one **

Modify and make more restrictive the items below by adding one of the phrases here. Each phrase may only be used once.

delayed; from Latvia; heavy; Hungarian; local; marketing; on the hill; that went bankrupt; who reported the crime; for sale

1.the house

2.the business

3.the history society

4.a visitor

5.a fall of snow

6.the manager

7.the President

8.the 6.45 train

9.the woman

10.the school

Task two **

The noun phrases below could have restrictive (R) or non-restrictive (N-R) modifiers. Show how the meaning would differ in each case.

1.The large animal parks are now closed.

2.The old houses in the main square were razed to the ground.

3.The unreliable train services have upset the travelling public.

4.The Finnish students enjoyed the course.

5.The hard-working students were given a week’s break.

6.The democratically sophisticated voters wanted equality and transparency.

7.The under-staffed hospitals may get more money.

8.The French teachers had good exam results.

9.The poor students had to work during the vacation.

10.The famous portraits by Reubens attracted a lot of attention.

Task three **

Show how the pairs of phrases may differ in meaning.

1.

Naïve French paintings ……

French naïve paintings ……

2.

The first sunny day ……

The sunny first day ……

3.

Their second disastrous game …

Their disastrous second game …

4.

Classical Greek music ……

Greek Classical music ……

5.

Her last romantic novel ……

Her romantic last novel ……

14.2. Post-modifiers

Sections 641–649; 70; 106; 110; 128; 132; 151; 170; 194; 198; 392; 443; 470; 531; 589; 593; 596; 654; 686–687; 728; 740

Modifiers after the noun head are called post-modifiers. There are several types of post-modifiers:

•relative clauses

•prepositional phrases

•non-finite clauses equivalent to relative clauses

•appositive clauses

•clauses of time, place, manner and reason

•adverbs

•adjectives.

In addition two or more modifiers can modify the same noun.

Task one ***

Join the pairs of sentences and define the type of post-modifier.

1.I’ll always remember that moment. The lawyer realised he’d lost the case.

2.What you wrote in that article about the new laws offended people. The people had fought hard for changes in the law.

3.You don’t have to go there. There’s no reason.

4.We have to do it this way. There is no other way.

5.It’s next to the old building. They’re going to pull down the old building.

6.The doctor will have time. He can see you.

7.I’ll do it some time next week. I’ll be free then.

8.There is just one reason. He should not be allowed to go.

9.That’s the best play. If you want to see something good.

10.That was not the right time. You should not have done it then.

Task two **

Rewrite the relative clauses and rewrite them as other types of post-modifiers.

1.I shall be detailing the plans in a paper which I’ll distribute next week.

2.Everyone who worked in that department was angered by the proposal.

3.The couple who live next door both work in the Social Studies department.

4.All those who are wary of walking too close to the edge of the cliff should stay near the leader.

5.Hillary and Tensing were the first men who got to the top of Everest.

6.I have nothing which I have to do this afternoon.

7.People in the train that was delayed for three hours were given a full refund for the ticket.

8.There is no more which anyone can do.

9.I have nothing which I want to say.

10.The train which goes to London will leave from platform 4.

14.3. Pre-modifiers

Sections 650–653; 440; 459; 522

Modifiers after a determiner but before the noun head are called pre-modifiers.

There are several types of pre-modifiers:

•adjectives

•adjective phrases

•–ing participles

•–ed participles

•nouns.

In addition two or more modifiers can modify the same noun.

Task one **

Underline and identify the type of pre-modifier.

1.Is that a new car?

2.It’s better than being an anorexic model.

3.They were sworn enemies.

4.It’s in the published text.

5.There’s still a very long way to go.

6.That’s an interesting question.

7.The train company is in great trouble.

8.It’s a government organisation.

9.That’s a very exciting idea.

10.There’s the punishment room.

Task two **

Modify the noun underlined with pre-modifiers based on the information in the sentence. Put hyphens where necessary.

1.That house is Victorian and part of a terrace.

2.He was wearing a jersey that was red and made of lambswool.

3.He was a man who had made himself successful.

4.The table was designed artistically and made of oak.

5.The institute financed itself.

6.The television was very old and only showed films in black and white.

7.The car was an estate with three doors.

8.The student worked hard.

9.That rose flowers early.

10.The date on the credit card shows when it will expire.

Task three ***

Complete the sentences below by putting the modifiers in the correct order before the noun.

1.We’ve had some …………….. weather this year. (very wet, English, Spring)

2.He bought a …………….. rug in Switzerland. (oriental, beautiful)

3.They loved the …………….. beer. (German, strong, wheat)

4.He had the accident during the …………….. vacation. (university, summer, long)

5.She admired all the …………….. surfers. (Australian, strong, blond)

6.The business was a sold to a …………….. company. (textile, very small, French, unknown)

7.He loved the …………….. hills. (south-facing, Welsh, craggy)

8.The sheep were lost on the …………….. mountains. (snow-covered, cold)

9.He’s a …………….. man. (patient, very kind, old)

10.It tasted like that …………….. wine. (dessert, Hungarian, classic)

Task four **

Underline the pre-modifiers in the text, and classify them as i) adjective; ii) noun; iii) genitive; iv) -ing participle; v) -ed participle; vi) compound; vii) numeral.

The famous Manchester flat cap, designed to keep off the rain and act as a shield against bailiffs, foremen and wives, is to enjoy a new lease of life as a symbol of the Commonwealth Games.

At the risk of splitting northern opinion between the modernisers who abhor “flat cap syndrome”, and the nostalgics who wallow in it, the headgear will top off the official uniform of thousands of games staff and volunteers.

Made of cotton cloth, dyed a no-nonsense northern black, the squashy symbol defeated the all-conquering baseball cap in a play-off for the games contract. Melding the tested shapes of the Yorkshire pudding beret and Soviet worker’s cap as worn by Lenin, it was launched yesterday in the homely setting of a Manchester Asda supermarket.

“We’re particularly pleased with it as a concept,” said Beth Watson, chief designer for the supermarket chain, which is running-up over 125,000 pieces of uniform as part of its sponsorship for the 11-day event in July and August.

The cap is the nearest thing to a traditional item in the kit for Crew 2002, as the helpers, enablers and greeters will be known. It comes with a snazzy bag, water bottle, poncho and umbrella.

(from The Guardian, 6 March 2002)

14.4. Relative clauses

Sections 685–694; 110–111; 371–372; 461; 595; 659; 747

The main function of a relative clause is to modify a noun or phrase. There are several relative pronouns to choose from. The choice depends on:

•whether the clause is restrictive or non-restrictive

•whether the head noun-phrase is personal or non-personal

•what role the pronoun has in the relative clause.

The uses of relative pronouns are shown in this table:

Image

Task one *

Match the clauses in column A with those in column B.

A

B

1.

I didn’t get the job

a.

that gave me no spare time.

2.

That’s the room

b.

which I will not put up with.

3.

There was a time

c.

I applied for.

4.

I couldn’t do a job

d.

in which there were often huge rats.

5.

I don’t know the woman

e.

when people helped each other.

6.

Australia is a country

f.

you mustn’t go into.

7.

That’s something

g.

at the top of which was an old stone monument.

8.

They got to the moon in the year

h.

who you were talking to.

9.

They climbed the hill

i.

which is very arid in the centre.

10.

During the war they hid in cellars

j.

in which I was born.

Task two **

Link the clauses below with a relative pronoun, omitting the part of the second sentence corresponding to the relative pronoun.

1.It is something. I’m expected to do it.

2.She was a clever woman. The company exploited her.

3.He was an actor. No-one had ever heard of him.

4.I like being married to a chef. His sister owns the restaurant.

5.I enjoyed the production of ‘No Man’s Land’. Ian Holm starred in it.

6.I’ve finished the book. You got as a prize.

7.How do you like living in the town? You work there.

8.It was a lovely day. We went to Brighton then.

9.He’s got a new computer. He can’t use it.

10.He told me about it in the letter. The letter came this morning.

Task three **

Complete the following text by using a relative pronoun. On some occasions the pronoun will be governed by a preposition.

The wide range of skills and trades ……(1)………. was needed to maintain a big Victorian country estate is shown by the large number of workers ……(2)…… were on the staff of any large manor house. At Wallington, Northumberland ……(3)………. was the home of Sir Charles Edward Trevelyan (1809–86), ……(4)………. was the second baronet, there were over 30 male staff most ……(5)………. would have lived on the estate. There would also have been a large female staff most ……(6)………. work would have been within the house. Photographs from the late 19th century ……(7)………. male and female staff are always shown separately reflect a bygone way of life ……(8)………. we find little has survived in the great houses of today. On the Wallington estate, there is still a saw-mill ……(9)………. three foresters are based, but such posts as footman and rabbit-catcher have long disappeared. These have been replaced by employees ……(10)………. are known as education and events staff.

(adapted from the National Trust Magazine, no. 95, Spring 2002)

Task four **

Rewrite the phrases below with a reduced relative.

1.The bike which was tethered to a tree ………..

2.The house which was in need of repair ……….

3.The man who was driving too fast ……..

4.Any company which hides its accounts ……..

5.The article which discussed the use of nuclear power ………

Task five *

Rewrite the following sentences with a sentence relative.

1.He’s working very hard now and this is a good thing.

2.Jane’s finished her thesis and that’s amazing.

3.Jack’s working in Tokyo for two years. Then he’s hoping to go to Hong Kong.

4.The old lady died on her husband’s birthday. That’s sad!

5.The train was an hour late. This was not unusual.

14.5. Apposition

Sections 470–472; 397; 589; 593; 646

Two or more noun phrases which occur next to each other and refer to the same person or thing are said to be in apposition.

Just like relative clauses, appositions can be restrictive and non-restrictive.

Task one **

Rewrite the sentences so that the relative clause is replaced by a noun phrase in apposition to the person or thing referred to.

1.David Brown, who owns the garage across the road, has a good reputation.

2.Mrs Davies who is a teacher at the local school is loved by all the children.

3.Anne and Peter Austin, who are the executors of my aunt’s will, have retired and gone to live in New Zealand.

4.I once knew James Kane who was the star in last year’s Oscar-winning movie.

5.John Williams, who writes poetry, has won several prizes.

6.That building over there was designed by James Stirling who was a celebrated architect in the 1970s and 80s.

7.The production is by Richard Jones who directs both opera and theatre.

8.I always book my holidays at Compston’s which is the travel agency opposite the bank.

9.Impact 92 which is a language consultancy does a lot of work in Scandinavia.

10.Nokia which is now a mobile phone company started as a company selling rubber goods such as tyres.

Task two **

Look at the uses of apposition in the items below and decide whether they are restrictive (R) or non-restrictive (N-R) and make the appropriate changes to the punctuation.

1.A: David James has bought the house next door to mine.

B: Which David James? David James our old school friend or David James the dentist?

2.(on the phone) Hello! Is that Robert Hunt the builder?

3.I was at university with the actor James Marlow.

4.Barbara Castle the British socialist politician died on 2 May 2002.

5.One of my oldest friends is Keith Godard the New York-based graphic designer.

6.Your doctor John Beasley is retiring next year. Did you know?

Task three ***

Complete the text below with an appropriate expression to show explicit apposition. chiefly; especially; for example; for instance; in particular; mainly; namely; notably; particularly; such as

In the late 1940s, after the Second World War, there was a flowering of the film industry in many countries, ………(1)………… India, Italy and Japan. There were many good, young film directors, ………(2)………… in Italy, ………(3)………… De Sica, Rosselini and Visconti. Working as assistants for them were several young people who would later become directors of world-importance, ………(4)………… Antonioni and Fellini. These directors established a clear identity for the Italian film, ………(5)………… the neo-realist cinema. In the same way, Asian film directors, ………(6)………… Kurosawa in Japan and Ray in India, established an identity for the Japanese and Indian cinema.