Final answer:
Noun modifiers are words, phrases, or clauses that add detail to a noun, with adjectives being the most common type. They have various forms and can be modified by qualifiers and comparative words. Hyphens are used to clarify when two or more words function together as a single modifier before a noun.
Step-by-step explanation:
Noun modifiers are words, phrases, or clauses that provide additional information about a noun, essentially modifying or qualifying it. Adjectives are the most common noun modifiers and they can come in different forms, with some having characteristic endings such as -ous (delicious), -ish (waspish), -ful (beautiful), and -ary (wary). An adjective can be modified by qualifiers (e.g., very, extremely) and comparative words (e.g., more, most, less, least).
Here are some examples to illustrate noun modifiers in action:
- In the sentence 'I need to find an affordable car', 'affordable' is the adjective modifying the noun 'car'.
- Similarly, 'Ms. Chu needs to find a more reliable car' has 'reliable' as the adjective modified by 'more', together forming an adjective phrase that modifies the noun 'car'.
Additionally, hyphens are often used in noun modifiers to join words serving as a single modifier before a noun, such as 'chocolate-covered peanuts'. Proper use of hyphens clarifies how the words are functioning together as modifiers. However, hyphen usage is not required when each word works separately to modify the noun or when compound modifiers follow the noun they describe.