Adjective modifier

• common: These pollutants have led to decreases in the populations of common whelks in the North Sea and cause DNA breakdown in some marine organisms.

Modifies a noun

• stall: Whelk stalls selling cooked whelks used to be very common in the north of England.

• shell: A broken whelk shell reveals how the animal's body fits within the curled chamber.

• egg: Whelk egg mass is also known as ' sea wash balls ' because early sailors used them for washing.

• case: I have also discovered this sea slug in egg whelk cases.

• ball: Whelk egg balls were present and it would be surprising if they weren't and some were probably blown even further inland.

Noun used with modifier

• dog: One of the main predators are dog whelks which can be common on beaches with mussel beds.

• baby: When these hatch, the baby whelks feed on the unfertilised eggs.