Ｏｎ Ｐｏｓｔ－ｍｏｄｉｆｉｅｒ ｉｎ Ｅｎｇｌｉｓｈ

Abstract：Just now， pre-modifiers are used more and more frequent than post-modifier in the development of Modern English. The post-modifier also a means of modification has received relatively little attention. In this paper， a basic analysis will be made regarding the types， directions and some comparisons of post-modifiers in forms of examples. Also included are methods suggested to cope with the problems on choosing exact usages.

Key words:Post-modifier non-finite clause prepositional phrase

Ⅰ. Introduction

This paper deals with the types and usages of post-modifier in noun phrases. Post-modifier is a branch of modification that is an important grammatical device for description and sentence expansion. Generally， constituents that modify nouns are called modifier or appositives. Constituents modify adjective， adverb or prepositional phrase in phrase construction also can be regarded as modifier. Word， phrase and clause all can be post-modifier. They are chiefly fall into the groups following: non-finite clauses including -ing participle， -ed participle and infinitive， prepositional phrases. Non-finite clauses will be discussed more detailed here.Post-modifiers may be restrictive or non-restrictive.

Ⅱ. Non-finite clause as post-modifier

Non-finite clause includes –ing participle clause， -ed participle clause and infinitive clause. When –ing participle， -ed participle and infinitive function as post-modifier， they can be substituted by corresponding relative clauses. They could be restrictive as well as non-restrictive. Each sort will be introduced respectively in the following.

1.ing participle clause as post-modifier

When ing participle clause plays the role of modifier in noun phrase， it has strict restriction in usage. The ing participle and predicative verb should indicate to the same time， and the corresponding relationship between ing participle clause and relative clause is merely limited to the relative clause whose subject is relative pronoun. ing participles as post-modifiers are mainly used in the situations below:

2. -ed participle clauses as post-modifier

The same asing participle， -ed participle clause merely corresponds with the relative clause whose subject is relative pronoun. Meanwhile， -ed clause are equal to relative clauses with diverse tenses and aspects， some action happen before the predicate in the main clause， and some others can be inferred according to the context. So， the time is needn't taken into consideration in the usage of –ed participle as post-modifier. And in –ed clause construction， corresponding participles link closely with passive voice.

Ⅲ. Prepositional phrase as post-modifier

Prepositional phrase as post-modifier is the most common type. The probability of its appearance is three or four times of non-finite clause. And it doesn't have so many complicated situations that its modification is more distinct.

1.Prepositional phrase as restrictive post-modifier

All the prepositions including complex prepositions can collocate with other components to form prepositional phrases to perform the function of post-modifier.

the car outside the station， the road to Lincoln， passengers on board the ship，

action in case of fire， the meaning of this sentence， two years before the war

Prepositional post-modifier as \"the house beyond the church\" can be transformed into be-sentence \"the house is beyond the church\". Such correspondence is natural though under some case the prepositional phrase does not only correspond to finite verb， eg the phrase \"the university as a political forum\" might be turned into the sentence \"The university is acting/regarded as a political forum\".

2.Prepositional post-modifiers without restriction

No matter used for appositive function or non-appositive function， prepositional phrases can be restrictive as well as non-restrictive.

The course on English grammar starts tomorrow. (non-appositive， restrictive)

The course， on English grammar， starts tomorrow. (non-appositive， non-restrictive)

The question of student grants was discussed yesterday.(appositive， restrictive)

The question， of student grants， was discussed yesterday.(appositive， non-restrictive)

Non-restrictive appositive might be used without preposition.

This question， student grants， was discussed yesterday.

Non-restrictive function of preposition phrase is seldom used and unnatural，purely expressing the contents called to mind afterwards:

A party， of children， entered the theatre.

The end， of the world， is at hand.

When the post-modifier is obviously restrictive， it can’t be regarded as appositive relation:

The man， of property， was John smith.

Ⅳ.Conclusion

Although we don’t use post-modifiers as frequently as pre-modifiers， through the study a general knowledge of post-modifier is comprehended and some other relevant information can be obtained， as well as methods on study. Some implications below could be obtained.

Post-modifiers always used to focus on some features of the antecedent (or headword) and to express the emphasis or comparison. Non-restrictive post-modifiers are fairly more vague than restrictive ones. Sometimes， non-restrictive post-modifier can be wrongly regarded as adverbial.

References:

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[2]張道真，溫志達．英語語法大全．外語教學與研究出版社，1998，8．

[3]張道真．張道真實用英語語法(最新版)．外語教學與研究出版社，2002．

[4]徐廣聯．大學英語語法(第二版)．華東理工大學出版社，1995．

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[6]Randolph Quirk， Sidney Greenbawn，Geoffery Leech， Jan Svartvik．朗文英語語法大全．華東師范大學出版社，1998，10．

（作者單位：河南焦作師范高等專科學校）