Top ten list: an editor's pet peeves #5

Modifiers -- make every word count

As we continue down the dark path of my pet peeves in writing, we have to address the elephant in the room. No, not clichés.

Modifiers. Adverbs and adjectives.

First, a brief grammar lesson

For you word nerds. Adjectives modify nouns. Adverbs modify verbs and other adjectives. Let’s break this one down:

The gray horse ran quickly through the field.

Gray is a…