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Anonymous Posted 13 years ago
Grammar

How to make modification clear

Hi. Please tell me if the adverb "very" modifies both adjectives "small" and "sickening-looking" when they come before the noun "object." I think when two adjectives modify a noun attributively, a comma between them can be replaced with the conjunction "and."

a very small, sickening-looking object

Or should there be another "very" before the phrase "sickening-looking" to indicate both adectives "small" and "sickening-looking" are modified by "very"? Thank you for your help in advance.

a very small, very sickening-looking object
  

Top answer

Anonymous . "a very small, sickening-looking object Whether or not you include 'and', the referent for 'very' is ambiguous, though I would tend to attribute it to 'small' alone. Anonymous should there be another "very" before the phrase "sickening-looking" to indicate both adectives "small" and "sickening-looking" are modified by "very"?

— Mister Micawber

  • Anonymous .
  • "a very small, sickening-looking object Whether or not you include 'and', the referent for 'very' is ambiguous, though I would tend to attribute it to 'small' alone.
  • Anonymous should there be another "very" before the phrase "sickening-looking" to indicate both adectives "small" and "sickening-looking" are modified by "very"?
  • That would clarify your intent.
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1 Answers
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Anonymous. Please tell me if the adverb "very" modifies both adjectives "small" and "sickening-looking" when they come before the noun "object." I think when two adjectives modify a noun attributively, a comma between them can be replaced with the conjunction "and."a very small, sickening-looking object
Whether or not you include 'and', the referent for 'very'
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