Position of modifiers

Position of modifiers

In this new (and probably irregular) column, we offer to discuss—perhaps even solve—readers’ questions about language. If you have a question, send it to “The Doctor”, either care of the ASTC postal address or at the society’s e-mail address. As in this first appearance, the identity of all parties (the guilty and the innocent alike) will be protected by a veil of anonymity.

Question:

I keep getting some words around the wrong way when I first write them. For example, I initially write this:

We can probably expect to use the current CHM format for another 12 months, at least.

but this sounds better:

We can probably expect to use the current CHM format for at least another 12 months.

Is one correct, or does it just sound better?

Answer:

This isn't a matter of correctness, but of reader processing. Tacking “at least” on the end makes the reader re-interpret “another 12 months”, which could have been complete. Putting “at least” before “another 12 months” makes the reader process the whole thing in one pass.

Question:

It’s also in that one or It’s in that one also?

Answer:

This is similar to the first (“at least”) question. In the second version, the reader will make an initial interpretation of “in that one”, then have to re-interpret when processing “also”. The first version lets the reader get it right first time. In general, it’s best to put the modifier before what it modifies. This probably illustrates the difference between the writer, who adds the modifier as an afterthought, and the reader, who needs it sooner.

Question:

It would have better fitted or It would have fitted better?

Answer:

You can probably come up with a general (but not inviolable) principle that it’s better not to insert modifiers within verb groups (a VG being a main verb and its preceding auxiliaries). However, there’s a contextual issue: The shoe would have fitted better if it had been a size larger; A larger shoe would have better fitted his big feet. The central difference between these two structures is that fitted is intransitive in the first, transitive in the second. Perhaps that affects the placement of the modifier because of the intimate link between a transitive verb and its object; I don't think we ever put an adverb between verb and direct object. (I watered thoroughly the garden? I read carefully the proposal? Nup.)