Adjectives used as postnominal modifiers face syntactic constraints as they often need to fulfill specific criteria such as requiring complements or forming part of relative clauses, which makes them unsuitable for pre-nominal position. These constraints lead to common usage in heavy modifiers or where a more complex structure is needed, for example, when an adjective is part of a prepositional phrase. This positions postnominal modifiers as a typical choice for indefinite pronouns or when forming truncated relative clauses .

Whether adjectives function as attributive modifiers or predicate complements is shaped by their syntactic positioning and the presence of complements. Attributive modifiers directly modify a noun within a noun phrase, often appearing before the noun ('royal blue shirt'), while predicate complements follow linking verbs, thus providing information about the subject ('The shirt is royal blue'). Certain adjectives prefer one role over the other; for instance, adjectives requiring complements typically function postnominally as predicate complements .

Predeterminer quantifiers like 'all', 'both', and 'half' exist outside the determiner phrase (DP) and combine with higher-level constituents without taking the position of the head determiner. They modify the noun phrase without projecting their number or case onto the verbs, contrasting with regular determiners that head the DP (determiner phrase) and govern agreement in the phrase structure. Their significance lies in their ability to provide nuanced meanings and modify an entire set or quantity before the head determiner .

Prenominal attributive modifiers encompass diverse syntactic roles when compared to adjectives derived from Old English terms. Adjectives starting with 'a-', originating from Old English 'on', cannot naturally occupy prenominal positions, which may be due to historical syntactic constraints. Modern prenominal modifiers are more flexible, easily stacking and preceding nouns regardless of origin, unlike Old English adjectives that function more robustly as postnominals or under specific syntactic conditions .

Prenominal attributive modifiers occur between the quantifier and noun in a noun phrase, can be stacked, and often include adjectives or phrases acting as adjectives. They can attribute qualities directly to nouns, such as in 'a whole new breed of machine tools.' Conversely, postnominal modifiers typically follow the noun and include heavier constructs like relative clauses or prepositional phrases. These modifiers frequently involve adjectives that require complements and can be ungrammatical if placed before the noun .

The treatment of relative clauses in written versus spoken English involves their syntactic and semantic usage, differentiating between restrictive and non-restrictive functions. In writing, punctuation, such as commas, delineates non-restrictive clauses, clarifying that the information is supplementary. Restrictive clauses, however, provide essential information and are not set off by commas. In spoken English, intonation often substitutes punctuation, affecting understanding and interpretation. This difference influences clarity and elucidation of meaning, as restrictive clauses directly affect noun identification, while non-restrictive ones merely offer additional context .

IP (Inflectional Phrase) modifiers are often adverbs or similar elements that modify the IP by providing additional information such as speaker attitude or manner of speaking. They frequently occur after the IP or between the subject and the inflected verb, thus playing a role in the main asserted information in a sentence. On the other hand, VP (Verb Phrase) modifiers directly modify the verb, often delineating how an action is performed. Examples of IP modifiers include expressions related to epistemic ideas or conjunctive modifiers .

Phrasal modifiers at the clause level significantly influence clauses by embedding the speaker's attitude, epistemic stances, and conjunction of ideas within the discourse. These modifiers transcend mere syntactic roles by inferring nuanced connective and inferential meaning. For instance, conjunctive phrases insert logical or contrastive relationships between facts, whereas epistemic phrases qualify the certainty or source of knowledge, shaping the narrative's coherence and perceived credibility .

Quantifiers within noun phrases serve as modifiers, specifically modifying Prime noun phrases (NPs). They can be cardinal or ordinal, such as numerals, but unlike adjectives, they cannot be stacked within a phrase. In their interaction with determiners, quantifiers precede the NP but do not head the phrase. When accompanied by 'of', they precede the NP and affect the structure of the sentence, for instance, 'Half of the kids are' vs. 'Half a cup is.' Furthermore, certain lexically related quantifiers take plural conjugations like 'A lot of/A few of' .

Predeterminer quantifiers such as 'all' and 'both' participate in quantifier float, where they can move within the sentence from their initial position preceding the noun phrase to a spot within the inflectional phrase (IP), typically before the semantic head. This syntactic function allows the quantifier to modify the subject while maintaining agreement with the noun it quantifies, offering flexibility in sentence structure without altering the intended meaning .