Question

Choose the word(s) that the underlined phrase modifies

With its trunk, an elephant gives an affectionate caress to its baby or mate.

A.
elephant

B.
gives

C.
caress

D.
trunk

Answer 1

Nothing is underlined so nobody knows. Also, do you understand what the term modifies means? If you do, then answering these types of questions should not be hard for you.

Answer 2

modify means to describe?

Answer 3

the underlined part ---- to its baby or mate

Answer 4

it seems to be caress, correct?

Answer 5

To modify is to affect or change or clarify or limit or expand something. The item that is effected by the word is what was modified.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/modify

Now, let me be clear on the underline:
\(\mbox{With its trunk, an elephant gives an affectionate}\)
\(\mathrm{ caress~ \underline{to ~its ~baby ~or ~mate}.}\)

Like that?

Answer 6

yes

Answer 7

So how could "to its baby or mate" modify caress? Does it say what type of caress it is?

Look again and see what is clarified by "to its baby or mate". Start at the beginning of the line and work through each word. "With" is first. "With" and "to its baby or mate"... nope. Make no sense, could not modify it. Keep going and see which seems to be clarified the most.

Answer 8

Elephant ? [:

Answer 9

Not quite... though I see where you might think that. But there is on word in there that is clearly constrained by "to its baby or mate."

Think about these two: "I answer questions." and "I answer questions for students." In both I am answering, but in the second it limits who I am answering. So it modifies answer by constraining it to a smaller group.

Now, "to its baby or mate" is clearly a smaller group. It is a group of two. But what is constrained to that group?