Expanding

Sentences
(Modifiers)
Noun Phrase

Prepositional
Phrase

Relative
Clause

Expanding sentences using Modifiers

Modifiers are words, phrases, or

clauses that provide description in
sentences.
They are also used to explain,
expand or clarify the meaning of a
sentence and allow writers to
accurately illustrate messages to
their readers.

The focus is
on:
NOUN PHRASE
PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE
RELATIVE CLAUSE

Noun Phrase

NOUN
PHRASES
What is a noun phrase?
When you add words to describe a noun, the result is called a NOUN
PHRASE.
Example:
ball

round ball big round ball

bird

small bird small yellow bird in the sky

dress

pretty dress

pretty pink dress that she wore

 Basically, a noun phrase is a pronoun or a group of words that can

replace a pronoun.
Example:
Q:Do you likecars?
A:Yes, I likethem. (Instead of: Yes, I like cars.)
Q:Do you likethe cars shown in the movie Furious 7?
A:Yes, I likethem very much. (Instead of: Yes, I like the cars
shown
in the movie Furious very much.)

NOUN PHRASES

You can add to a noun by

putting words
before it. (The
words in bold are nouns.)
the mighty champion
a beautiful red flower

Or you can put words after it.

(The words in bold are nouns.)
the maid of honour
the love of my life

USING NOUN PHRASES AS

MODIFIERS

Noun phrases can be used to add more information to a sentence.

This is called modifying the sentence.

WHY ADD MODIFIERS?

So that others will understand who or what you
are referring to.
The modifiers will answer any questions that
anyone may have concerning the subject that
is being discussed.
Example:
The fat black and white cat is resting
on a
comfortable pillow.

USING NOUN PHRASES AS

MODIFIERS

Practice 1: Combine the sentences by adding

noun phrases.

Practice 2: Describe the picture by adding

modifiers.
A man is standing on the beach.
________________________________________
There are boats on the beach.
________________________________________
There are trees behind the houses.
________________________________________
The sky is full of clouds.
________________________________________
There are rocks on the beach.
________________________________________

Prepositional
Phrase

Prepositional Phrases as Modifiers

Prepositional phrases as modifiers also function as Adjective and Adverb.

The Prepositional Phrase consists of these
things:
1. A Preposition
2. An object (N or Prn)
3. Any modifiers of that object

Definition of a Phrase:
A group of words that does NOT have a subject
and a verb, and acts as 1 part of speech.

In other words. NOT a complete

sentence, but part of a sentence!

Types of Prepositional Phrases.

1. Adjective Phrase (Adj. Phrase) it describes a noun
or pronoun
Example: Sarah is the one (with the
pink dress).

The phrase is describing which one? The

one with the pink dress.

Sothe definition of an Adj. Phrase is: a prep. phrase

that describes a N or Prn.

2. Adverb Phrase (Adv Phrase) describes Verb, Adjective

and Adverb.
Example: We must finish our work (before the
weekend).
before the weekend is describing when to finish (a verb) so it has to be
an adverb phrase. And before is a preposition & this is a type of prep.
phrase!

Sothe definition of an Adverb Phrase is: A Prep Phrase that

describes a Verb, Adjective, or Adverb!

Identifying Prepositional Phrase

1. He was riding (on his skateboard).

2. I am a huge fan (of Twilight).
3. My dad enjoys hunting (in the
woods).

**Hint
find
prepos
ition an the
you se
e the fi d go until
stop. rst noun and
thats y
Prepos
our
itional
Phrase
!

Expanding sentences
Our basic
sentence:

A boy laughed.

A boy laughed.
By adding Adjectives

By adding Adverbs

What is an adjective and what is its job?

A
Describing
word

To describe
the noun

The boy laughed.

The naughty boy
laughed.
The big boy laughed.
The funny boy laughed

The
adjective
goes before
the noun.

What is an adverb? What does it do?

Tells you how

something is
being done

It qualifies
the verb

The naughty boy

laughed.
The naughty boy laughed
excitedly.
The naughty boy laughed loudly.

Adding a Prepositional
Phrase
.

The naughty boy laughed

excitedly.
They can go at the beginning, in the middle or at the end of
the sentence.
All through the
journey the
naughty boy
laughed
excitedly.

The naughty boy

in the back of
the car laughed
excitedly.

The naughty
boy laughed
excitedly
at the funny
pictures.

Practice 1

: Highlight the Prepositional Phrase in each sentence, bold

the preposition and underline the word it describes or modifies. Then,
determine whether it is PrepP functions as adjective or adverb.
Example : The sound of the car is too loud.

Adjective phrase

1. I love the smell of my mothers freshly baked chocolate cake with

butter.
2. My teacher would say that I was the best speaker of the day.
3. Cheryl love eating fastfood such as Kentucky Fried Chicken and
McDonald.
4. The aroma of my sisters cooking is always strong.
5. Those who love to contribute to charity will be rewarded
emotionally.
6. Students can check with their class teacher, who will help them

Practice 2 :

Add suitable Prep Phrase to modify the nouns and verb in the following
basic sentence patterns.

Whos
e

Who
m

Relative Clause
Who
Whe
re

Which

Relative Clause
A Relative Clause (RC) is one kind of

Relative
Pronouns (RP)

Dependent Clause.

Used for people

It has a subject and verb, but cant stand

alone as a sentence.

WHO

It adds extra information to the sentence,

making it more interesting or relevant to
the reader.

WHOM

Used for people

WHICH

Used for thing

THAT

Used for
people/thing

It always begins with a Relative

Pronoun (RP).

Adding extra information

to the Subject, by
describing who is
Jamie/which Jamie?

Adding extra information

to the Object, by
describing which meat?

Jamie grills meat.

Jamie who dislikes vege grills
meat.
Jamie, whose phone rings
loud, grills meat.
Jamie that lives next door
grills meat.
Jamie whom I met at the
market grills meat.

Jamie grills meat that was

given by me.
Jamie grills meat which is
freshly bought from the
market.

Jamie grills meat.

who dislikes vege

whose phone rings loud
that lives next door
whom I met at the market
that was given by me
which is freshly bought from the
market

Main Clause
[Independent
Clause]

Relative Clause
[Dependent Clause]

Try this!
Work with partner. Expand and add extra information to these sentences using Relative Clauses.

1) We visited his house.

2) She is sitting over there.
3) I have a friend.
4) Karena works in that office.
5) I borrowed his pen.
6) Halim called her.
7) She answered the phone.
8) That is the professor.

Relative Clause (RC)

Defining Relative Clause
Tell specifically which NOUN (Subject or
Object) we are talking about;

Amar likes the woman who lives next

door.
(if Amar does not say who lives next door,
then we do not know which woman Amar
means).

My brother, who works in

Tokyo, is 28 years old.

My brother who/that
works in Tokyo is 28 years
old.

Non-Defining Relative Clause

Add extra information to the sentence.
If we take the RC out of the sentence, the
sentence still has the same meaning.

I travelled to Paris, which is the City

of Love.

(Everybody knows what is the main attraction

in Paris and where Paris is, so is the City of
Love' is extra information).

DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSE

i) Relative Pronoun as the
SUBJECT
b) Clause comes after the
Subject

a) Clause comes after the

Object

Is the SUBJECT
of RC

Is the
SUBJECT of
RC

I sent an email to my
brother.
(Main Clause)

My brother
Finland.

lives in

The fruit is on the table.

(Main Clause)

(other info)

I sent an email to my brother who (my brother) lives in

Finland.

Refer to module for more

examples.

The fruit

is not fresh.

(other info)

The fruit which (the fruit) is not fresh is on the table.

DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSE

ii) Relative Pronoun as the OBJECT
(RP can be omitted from a Relative Clause, and the meaning is
not changed)
a) Clause comes after the
Object
S

Adila loves the chocolate.

(Main Clause)

Is the
OBJECT of
RC

I bought

the chocolate.

(other info)

Adila loves the chocolate that/which I bought.

Adila loves the chocolate I bought.

Is the
OBJECT of
RC

b) Clause comes after the

Subject

The picture is beautiful.

(Main Clause)

Kamal is looking at the picture.

(other info)

The picture that/which Kamal is looking at is beautiful.

The picture Kamal is looking at is beautiful.

Refer to module for more

examples.

NON-DEFINING RELATIVE
CLAUSE
b) Clause comes after the Object

a) Clause comes after the

Subject
S
My mothers house is very
small.
(Main Clause)

Extra
Info

Extra
Info

(I grew up in the house).

Yesterday, I called our friend

Julie.

S
(Julie lives in New York)

(Extra Info)

Yesterday, I called our friend Julie, who lives in New

York.

My mothers house, which I grew up in, is very small.

(Separate the clause from the Main Clause by commas)

Refer to module for more

examples.

Work in pair. Write 5 sentences based on the picture

above, using Relative Clauses (consisting Defining and
Non-Defining Clauses).
Check and edit your works with peers!

Complete practices in the module during

Tutorial hour!

Thank you!