Abstract
<p>How does the position of attributive modifiers shape memory for sentence content? Prior work suggests that modification enhances noun‑phrase representations, but evidence on adjective position is mixed and confounded by differences in modifier type. We report four experiments in Czech that directly test how prenominal vs. postnominal position affects immediate (post‑sentential) recall. Across experiments, we used open‑ended comprehension questions following written and spoken stimuli. In Experiments 1–2 (written), postnominal adjectives were recalled more accurately than prenominal ones. Experiment 3 crossed modifier position with modifier type (bare adjectives vs. genitive modifiers that canonically occur postnominally in Czech). The recall advantage for postnominal position generalized across types; no interaction emerged, arguing against an explanation based on syntactic atypicality or frequency. Experiment 4 (listening) replicated the recall advantage for postnominal position under fixed pacing. Together, the results show a robust recall benefit for postnominal modification that generalizes across modality and presentation regimes. We interpret the advantage in terms of discriminative, error‑driven learning: encountering the noun first foregrounds object features, enabling cue competition to sharpen the diagnosticity of subsequent modifiers, yielding stronger, more retrievable representations.</p>