macOS Modifier key state

Can anyone tell me how to get the modifier key state for the UCKeyTranslate function, I know I have to do the following with it.

EventRecord event;

modifierKeyState = ((event.modifiers) >> 8) & 0xFF;

but how do I tie the event instance to what the actual modifier key state is?

I've acquired it through the WaitNextEvent function. It was right there in the same header file.