Appositive/appositional phrase Is a noun or pronoun placed beside another noun to describe it

Appositive/appositional phrase Mark Twain, also known as Samuel Clemens, wrote The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and “Cub Pilot on the Mississippi”.

Punctuate-add commas Ms. Verge my teacher is wonderful. My teacher Ms. Verge is wonderful.

Punctuate-add commas Ms. Verge, my teacher, is wonderful. My teacher, Ms. Verge, is wonderful.

The insect, a cockroach, is crawling across the kitchen table. The insect, a large cockroach, is crawling across the kitchen table. The insect, a large cockroach with hairy legs, is crawling across the kitchen table.

Appositives/appositional phrase The insect, a cockroach, is crawling across the kitchen table. The insect, a large cockroach, is crawling across the kitchen table. The insect, a large cockroach with hairy legs, is crawling across the kitchen table.

The insect, a large, hairy- legged cockroach that has spied my bowl of oatmeal, is crawling across the kitchen table.

Punctuate During the dinner conversation, Clifford, the messiest eater at the table, spewed mashed potatoes like an erupting volcano.

Punctuate During the dinner conversation Clifford the messiest eater at the table spewed mashed potatoes like an erupting volcano.

Correct During the dinner conversation, Clifford, the messiest eater at the table, spewed mashed potatoes like an erupting volcano.

Punctuate My 286 computer, a modern-day dinosaur, chews floppy disks as noisily as my brother does peanut brittle.

The important point to remember is that a nonessential appositive is always separated from the rest of the sentence with comma(s). When the appositive begins the sentence, it looks like this:

A hot-tempered tennis player, Robbie charged the umpire and tried to crack the poor man's skull with a racket.

When the appositive interrupts the sentence, it looks like this: Robbie, a hot-tempered tennis player, charged the umpire and tried to crack the poor man's skull with a racket.

At the end Upset by the bad call, the crowd cheered Robbie, a hot-tempered tennis player who charged the umpire and tried to crack the poor man's skull with a racket.

Essential/not essential The popular US president John Kennedy was known for his eloquent and inspirational speeches. (essential) John Kennedy, the popular US president, was known for his eloquent and inspirational speeches. (not essential) Your friend Bill is in trouble. (essential)

Jimbo Gold, who is a professional magician, performed at my sister's birthday Jimbo Gold, a professional magician, performed at my sister's birthday party.

Punctuate Ms. Verge who is my language arts teacher gives too much homework. Ms. Verge my language arts teacher gives too much homework.

Appositive Practice

#1 John Reed, an American journalist, helped found the Communist Labor Party in America.

2 My sister, who is a supervisor at Munchies, drives a company car.

3 I took a cookie from Gretel, who is the woodcutter's daughter.

4 I took a cookie from Gretel, the woodcutter's daughter.

5 Og, the King of Bashan, was saved from the flood by climbing onto the roof of the ark.

6 I once saw Margot Fonteyn, the famous ballerina.

7 Elkie Fern, who is a professional botanist, led the kids on a nature hike.

8 Elsa, a good country woman, has a daughter named Ulga.

9 Paul Revere, who was a silversmith and a soldier, is famous for his "midnight ride."

10. I read a biography of Disraeli, the 19th-century statesman and novelist.