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Anonymous Posted 17 years ago
Grammar

Sultry July

In the sentence, "On a sultry July afternoon we enjoyed sitting under the branches of a beautiful willow tree."

i understand that sultry is the adjective modifying July, but what do we do with afternoon? Is "July afternoon" considered a compound noun thus making sultry modify the both of them?
  

Top answer

" I suppose there may be "sultry July's," but not in this case. " I don't think it's necessary to consider "July afternoon" a compound noun. I see your example as two adjectives modifying the same noun.

  • " I suppose there may be "sultry July's," but not in this case.
  • " I don't think it's necessary to consider "July afternoon" a compound noun.
  • I see your example as two adjectives modifying the same noun.
  • Of course, "July" is not normally an adjective, but in this case it functions as one.
  • " I suppose some would call this a compound noun, but I wouldn't.
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1 Answers
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When I read your example I instinctively take "sultry" to modify "afternoon." I suppose there may be "sultry July's," but not in this case.

"This is the most sultry July I've ever had to sweat through!"

I don't think it's necessary to consider "July afternoon" a compound noun. I see your example as two adjectives modifying the same noun. Of course, "July" is not normally an a

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