Grammar Question Forum

[lawschoolftw]

"Knowledgeable designer and builder."

As I understand it, knowledgeable should modify both designer and builder. Is this correct?

And, more importantly, if so, can anyone reference a specific "rule" of grammar that would make that understanding correct?

Any help is appreciated.

[ILoveYou]

Yup. You've got 2 nouns that you can consider a single "composite" predicate noun phrase ("designer and builder"), and your adjective ("knowledgeable") modifies both. The reason for this is better illustrated if we make it a complete sentence:

"Lawschoolftw is a knowledgeable designer and builder."

Here, "designer and builder" restates our subject, "Lawschoolftw," which we know because of the be verb "is." Thus, the two nouns are really a single part of speech, which the adjective modifies.


Hope that clears things up!