Modifiers
Adjectives
Adjectives modify the meaning of nouns by providing details or by increasing the specificity of details.
Rule: Place adjectives as close as possible to the word(s) they are modifying.
Example: On 27 January 2007, The Globe and Mail reported five reasons the Gap clothing chain is doing poorly. In its discussion of reason three, “the shift in competition,” it noted that “in 1994, Gap responded to the threat posed by discount chains and introduced Old Navy, which would offer similar fashions to the Gap brand, made with less expensive fabrics and sold at lower prices.”
What’s wrong: The adjective similar is meant to modify the phrase to the Gap brand, not the noun fashions. It’s true that Old Navy would offer similar fashions, and it would be correct to say “… introduced Old Navy, which would offer similar fashions, made with less expensive fabrics and sold at lower prices.” But if the intent is also to answer the question, “similar to what?”, then similar must appear before that answer.
Correct usage: “… introduced Old Navy, which would offer fashions similar to the Gap brand, made with less expensive fabrics and sold at lower prices.”
Improved usage: “… introduced Old Navy, which would offer fashions similar to the Gap brand of fashions, made with less expensive fabrics and sold at lower prices.”
For another example of the correct use of similar, please see Similar, but different.
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