Appositives are nouns or noun phrases that rename or explain another noun or pronoun in a sentence. They are often separated from the rest of the sentence by commas.
An appositive is a noun that usually follows and renames or describes another noun or noun phrase.
Examples:
My classmate, Amanda, competes for the swimming team.
The scientist, Dr. Jane Smith, has made significant contributions to the field of genetics.
An appositive phrase is a group of words that includes an appositive and any words that modify it. It usually appears immediately after the noun it renames.
The Golden Gate Bridge, a famous bridge in the United States, first opened in 1937.
The restaurant, a cozy Italian eatery on Main Street, serves the best pizza in town.
Using appositives and appositive phrases can add descriptive detail and clarity to your writing. Just remember to use commas to set them off from the rest of the sentence.
Using Commas with Appositives
If the appositive is not necessary for narrowing down who or what is being described, it is set off with commas. If the appositive is necessary for narrowing down who or what is being described, it is not set off with commas.
Examples:
The author J. K. Rowling was born in Yate, England.
Here we do not put commas around the appositive “J.K. Rowling” because it is necessary for narrowing down the identity of the author. Without the appositive, it will just read as, “The author was born in Yate, England.” We wouldn’t know who the author is.
The capital of France, Paris, is known for its beautiful landmarks and rich culture.
Here we can put commas around the appositive “Paris” because it is no longer an essential information. Without the appositive, the sentence would be, “The capital of France is known for its beautiful landmarks and rich culture. We still know the subject of the sentence is without the appositive.
