An appositive is a word, or group of words, that identifies or renames
the noun or pronoun that it follows. Commas set off an appositive,
unless it is closely tied to the word that it identifies or renames.
(“Closely tied” means that it is needed to identify the word.)
Examples: My son Carl is a medical technician. (no commas)
Badger, our dog with a missing leg, has a love for cats. (commas
needed)
Appositives should not be confused with predicate nominatives. A
verb will separate the subject from the predicate nominative. An
appositive can follow any noun or pronoun including the subject,
direct object, or predicate nominative.
You can make one smooth sentence from two short, choppy
sentences by using an appositive. Example: Ila won the prize. It was
a trip to Hawaii. Ila won the prize, a trip to Hawaii.
Instructions: Combine the following sentences by using an
appositive.
1. Yesterday I saw an exciting movie. It was called Goldeneye.
2. Mr. Jones will be with you shortly. He is the plant manager.
3. That woman is my neighbor. She is a well-known author.
4. Luis can do almost anything. He is a talented person.
5. Do you want to meet Barbara Jean? She is my lab assistant.