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262
preceded by only or a similar word with a limiting meaning.
The only person visible was the policeman (who could be seen).
The only way of escaping imaginable was through the window (which could be imagined).
2.
he extension of the attribute. Non-detached attributes are postmodifying when
expressed by extended phrases or complexes.
The influence of extension can be illustrated by the following pairs of examples:
It is a sensible suggestion.
He found himself in a difficult situation.
It is a suggestion sensible in many ways.
He found himself in a situation difficult from his point
of view.
Here are some more examples:
They passed the bodies of British soldiers killed that night.
It was a little log house with whitewashed walls.
He held a letter in his hands, a letter from his mother.
He appeared to be a small man of about fifty.
They chose a way longer than the other.
3. The morphological nature of the headword. Such words as demonstrative or
indefinite pronouns and numerals cannot have an attribute in preposition.
Those coming first occupied the best seats.
Most of their time animals spend in search of something eatable.
There is nothing interesting in this book.
All present were disgusted by his behaviour.
Note 1:
Non-detached postmodifying attributes are found in traditional phrases borrowed from French or Latin, such
as blood royal, time immemorial, the second person plural, heir apparent (heir presumptive). Lords spiritual,
Lords temporal.
Note 2:
There are cases when the headword is embedded between parts of the attribute, as in:
I was told that you were the best man available (the best available man).
Types of connection between an attribute and its headword
§ 87. From the point of view of their connection with the headword and other parts of the sentence, attributes
may be divided into nondetached (close) and detached (loose) ones.
Non-detached attributes
§ 88. Non-detached attributes form one sense group with their headword and are not separated from it by
commas.
They generally adjoin the headword, either premodifying, postmodifying, or embedding it, and are
connected with other parts of the sentence only through the headword.
Non-detached premodifying attributes may be unextended, consisting of one word only, or form chains of
homogeneous attributes with identical reference, as in: a nice girl, a pretty house; crimson, white, and yellow
flowers.