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Appositives and Appositive Phrases
Appositives
5i.
An appositive is a noun or pronoun used to explain or identify another noun or pronoun.
EXAMPLES We teenagers do enjoy sports. [Teenagers identifies the pronoun We.]
You can get that information from only one person, her. [Her identifies the
noun person.]
An appositive usually follows the noun or pronoun it identifies. However, sometimes an
appositive comes before the noun or pronoun it modifiers.
EXAMPLE A painter, Tom paid careful attention to details.
NOTE
Two or more appositives may refer back to the same word.
EXAMPLE The twins, Mary and Michelle, will play in the doubles match. [Both Mary
and Michelle are appositives for the noun twins.]
EXERCISE A Underline the appositive in each of the following sentences.
Examples 1. Her dog, Dusty, must have known fifty tricks. [The appositive Dusty identifies the
noun dog.]
2. Can you recognize the constellation Little Dipper? [The appositive Little Dipper
identifies the noun constellation.]
1. Their favorite magazine, National Geographic, sat in stacks along the wall. [Which words identify
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the noun magazine?]
2. Can you play the game chess? [Which word identifies another noun?]
3. Have you asked your cousin Judy about the movie?
4. Only one person, you, can make that decision.
5. My brother Sam collects bottle caps.
6. Tom’s favorite song, “Over the Rainbow,” was playing on the radio.
7. I could talk for hours with my friend Trevor.
8. The rose Caroline’s Fancy was named for my grandmother.
9. He came in on the freighter Anabelle Lee.
10. Were they with their brothers Stan and Carl?
Developmental Language Skills
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Appositive Phrases
5j.
An appositive phrase includes an appositive together with all of its modifiers.
An appositive may be modified by adjectives, phrases, and even clauses. The appositive
phrase includes the appositive and all its modifiers.
EXAMPLES Frank, the starting quarterback in tonight’s game, may break a school
record this season. [The appositive is quarterback. Quarterback is modified
by the, starting, and in tonight’s game. Together, these words make up the
appositive phrase.]
My great-grandfather is Mr. Doe, a wise man who is one hundred years old.
[The appositive is man. Man is modified by a, wise, and who is one
hundred years old. Together, these words make up the appositive phrase.]
EXERCISE B Underline the appositive phrase in each of the following sentences.
Examples 1. This computer chip, the first of its kind, promises much faster calculations. [The
appositive phrase the first of its kind explains the noun chip.]
2. A classic model from the 1950s, the black convertible drew a crowd. [The appositive
phrase A classic model from the 1950s explains the noun convertible.]
11. Janet, the only student from our district who made it to the state finals, has been studying
hard. [Which phrase explains a noun in the sentence?]
12. The fawn, one of a pair, struggled to its feet. [Which phrase explains a noun in the sentence?]
14. I just received a letter from Mario, my penpal from Italy.
15. Take these to Mr. Lincoln, our new secretary.
16. Mark Twain, author of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, also wrote many short stories.
17. The audience really enjoyed the guest speaker, an expert on astronomy.
18. Dan watched A Bug’s Life, his favorite movie, again last weekend.
19. The geography of three countries, Germany, France, and Spain, was Rick’s topic.
20. The trophy, a symbol of the team’s hard work, was displayed near the school’s front door.
46
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First Course
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13. Have you met our new neighbor Mrs. Wendell?