Modifier

Modifier refers to word/phrase/ clause that provides description in a sentence. Essentially,

modifiers add color to sentence by providing extra information about noun and verb.

For example: Fred, fearing for his life, jumped into a passing car.

In this example, the participial phrase fearing for his life provides extra information about Fred,
while on the other hand the prepositional phrase into a passing car provides extra information
about the verb jumped.

Noun modifier generally answers one of these questions: What kind, which one, how many
and how much?

Rule: Noun modifier should always touch the noun it is modifying.

For example: Sabrina walked toward the car carrying a briefcase.

Here, it is not clear whether the car is carrying the briefcase or Sabrina. The participial phrase
carrying the briefcase should touch the noun (Sabrina) that it is modifying.

To fix this sentence we can rewrite it as:

1. Sabrina, carrying the briefcase, walked toward the car.

2. Carrying the briefcase, Sabrina walked toward the car.

Another example: Walking in the intense summer heat, sweat dripped from Kennys face

Here, the participial phrase walking in the intense summer heat is touching the noun Sweat,
which is telling us that sweat is walking in the summer, which is impossible. but if we ask the
question who/what is walking in the intense summer, the answer we get is Kenny.

So, one way to fix this sentence is:

Walking in the intense summer heat, Kenny noticed that his face was dripped with sweat.

Okay, lets try another one.

Seated around the dining table, the sight of the thanksgiving turkey made everyone salivate.

Now if we ask who/what was seated around the dining table, the answer we get is everyone.
Which means everyone should sit next to the phrase seated around the dining table.
So, to fix this problem we should rephrase it as

Seated around the dining table, everyone salivated at the sight of thanksgiving turkey.

Verb modifier typically answers,

Where, when, how, how often, why, how long, how likely, and to what degree?

Rule: Place close enough to the verb to prevent ambiguity.

(this rule is a little relaxed than the noun modifier rule, which means it is not obligatory to place
a verb and verb modifier next to each other)

Example: Martha served sandwiches to the children filled with cheese.

In this sentence, the prepositional phrase to the children modifies the verb served.

Since the verb modifier need not sit next to the verb it is modifying, it is okay to have the
phrase way over here. But the other modifier is the participial phrase filled with cheese is
intended to modify the noun sandwiches, telling us what kind of sandwiches. As it sounds this
sentence break the rule that noun modifier should sit next to the noun it is modifying we must
rewrite the sentence as:

Martha served sandwiches filled with cheese to the children.

Or, Martha served to the children sandwiches filled with cheese.

Alright, lets move on to another example.

Jack hurried to paint the bedroom wanting to get home before dinner.

Here, the prepositional phrase to paint the bedroom is modifying the verb hurried, which is
rightly placed. But the participial phrase wanting to get before dinner is modifying the noun
Jack and should sit next to it.

To fix this we can rewrite it as

Jack, wanting to get home before dinner, hurried to paint the bedroom.

Or, Wanting to get home before dinner, Jack hurried to paint the bedroom.
Exception to the touch rule:
There are two cases when the touch rule of noun modifier mentioned earlier is not properly
followed.

1. An appositive phrase inserted between noun modifier and its corresponding

noun
2. A vital noun modifier inserted between noun modifier and its corresponding
noun

Jack, the greatest handyman, wanting to go home before dinner, hurried to paint the bedroom.

In this sentence, although the participial phrase wanting to go home before dinner should
have been placed next to Jack, since the apposition phrase the greatest handyman is simply
renaming the noun Jack, it can be placed between the noun Jack and the participial phrase
wanting to go home before.

Okay lets move on to the second exception.

The workers at the factory, exhausted from working a 12-hour shift, were forced to walk home.

In this sentence, the participial phrase exhausted from working is intended to modify the noun
the workers. But in between we have the prepositional phrase at the factory, which is also
modifying the same noun the workers. Since the participial phrase exhausted from working is
touching the noun the factory, one might conclude that the sentence is faulty as it suggests
that the factory is exhausted from working. However, since at the factory is a vital noun
modifier (which limits the noun to only factory workers), it is okay to place it between the noun
and the other noun modifier.

So, both the sentences given here are correct.