How do I use an appositive?

An appositive is a noun or pronoun set beside another noun or pronoun to explain or identify it. Purdue University Grammar Lab

Your nemesis Ron was transferred to your school today.

In the sentence above, ‘nemesis’ is the noun or pronoun, while ‘Ron’ is the appositive.

An appositive phrase serves the same function as an appositive. It usually follows the word it explains or identifies, but it may also precede it.

Below is one example of an appositive phrase:

My brother's girlfriend, a strong, intelligent, and attractive woman, has captured the heart of all his friends.

In the sentence above, ‘girlfriend’ is the noun or pronoun, while ‘a strong, intelligent, and attractive woman’ is the appositive phrase.

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The top pilot, an expert in air-to-air combat, took her nephew on a tour of the military base.

In the sentence above, ‘pilot’ is the noun or pronoun, while ‘an expert in air-to-air combat’ is the appositive phrase.

A brilliant innovator, Frank Stella is known for his unusual abstract paintings.

In the sentence above, ‘Frank Stella’ is the noun or pronoun, while ‘a brilliant innovator’ is the appositive phrase.

The first state to ratify the Constitution, Delaware has not really done much since.

In the sentence above, ‘Delaware’ is the noun or pronoun, while ‘The first state to ratify the Constitution’ is the appositive phrase.

A beautiful mut, Tiger was my smartest dog.

In the sentence above, ‘Tiger’ is the noun or pronoun, while ‘a beautiful mut’ is the appositive phrase.

Punctuation of appositives

When the noun being explained is too general without the appositive; the information is essential to the meaning of the sentence, and it is NOT necessary to place commas around the appositive. University of Illinois Grammar Handbook

The popular US president Donald Trump is known for his frequent and controversial tweets.

In the sentence above, we do not put commas around the appositive because it is essential information. Without the appositive, the sentence would be, "The popular US president is known for his frequent and controversial tweets." We wouldn't know who the president is without the appositive.

Donald Trump, the popular US president, is known for his frequent and controversial tweets.

Here we put commas around the appositive because it is not essential information. Without the appositive, the sentence would be, "Donald Trump is known for his frequent and controversial tweets." We still know who the subject of the sentence is without the appositive.

John Kennedy the popular US president was quite different from John Kennedy the cheating and lying husband.

Here we do not put commas around either appositive because they are both essential to understanding the sentence. Without the appositives, the sentence would just be John Kennedy was quite different from John Kennedy. We wouldn't know what qualities of John Kennedy were being referred to without the appositive.

Example sentences beginning with appositives

Your best friend, Ben is performing at the art club tomorrow.
A hot tempered cricket player, Joe always tried to crack the wicket keeper's skull.
The beautiful girl who lives next door, Miriam is my friend's sister.
Your sister, Regina got through her exams with great ease.
My neighbor, George bought a new car.
God's own country, Guatemala is most sought for as a tourist destination.
The most untidy area of the house, Ben's study room is packed full of old books.
A beautiful collie, Fluffy was one my favorite dogs.

Example sentences with appositives in the middle of the sentence

My wife, who is a doctor by training, has to work the night shifts.
Lane, the quickest boy in the neighborhood, galloped down the street.
My friend's car, a blue convertible with bucket seats, is the topic of discussion today.
When I was in trouble, my dear friend, Rob stood by me.
The chief cardiac surgeon, an expert in performing transplants, came for dinner yesterday.
Rob Geis, a renowned writer, is the first Mexican to win the Nobel Prize for literature.
Miriam, a bold innovator, is famous for her strange paintings.
The City of Mexico, an extremely large city, is world-renowned for its terrible air pollution.
Rhonda, my sister-in-law, is renowned for her good cooking.
Sara and Miriam, my school friends, are planning to start a girl-band next summer.
Richard, my intimate partner, would be delighted with this new device.
The Nuclear Power Station, Africa's only nuclear power plant, was constructed by the apartheid regime and is the major source of electricity for the Western Cape.
Ms. Rice, the vice-principal, punished me for not giving her what she wanted.
My mother, a saintly woman, always baked cakes for my birthday.
The altitude of the capital of Tibet, Lhasa, is over 12,000 feet.
Tiger, my brilliant dog, drank my juice while I was in the other room.
My father, a slim, funny man with huge eyes and a great wit, is trying to decide which of his fourteen children he will take with him to the local fair.
Ramon, the representative of school sports, received the 'Special Achievement Award' this year.
Denver, the capital of Colorado, is the home of the Denver Broncos, the greatest football team in the world.
Mr. Brown, who is a renowned magician, performed at my father's birthday party.
The Otis Elevator Company, the world's biggest elevator manufacturer, claims that its products carry the equivalent of the world's population every five days.
The hangman, a grey-haired convict in the orange uniform of the prison, was waiting beside the door.

Example sentences ending with appositives

I gave my lecture notes to Abhay, who is a friend of mine.
I have had the great honor to have played with these great veteran ballplayers, our championship team of 1994.
I have had the further honor of living with and playing with these men, the Red Socks of today.
Though his cheeks were high-colored and his teeth were strong, he looked like a robot man, a machine with flashing circles for eyes.
James, who passed away yesterday, was a great writer.
Ron was in all terms different from Bill, the very faithful husband.
The village of Joyabaj stands on the plain of central Guatemala, a lonesome area that other Guatemalans call 'out there'.

How do I use an appositive?

Punctuation of appositives

Example sentences beginning with appositives

Example sentences with appositives in the middle of the sentence

Example sentences ending with appositives

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