Appositives and Appositive Phrases

Front

What is an appositive?

Back

An appositive is a noun or noun phrase that renames or provides additional information about another noun right beside it.

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What is the difference between essential and nonessential appositives?

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Essential appositives provide information that is necessary to identify the noun they modify, while nonessential appositives add extra information that can be omitted without changing the sentence's basic meaning.

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How are nonessential appositives punctuated?

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Nonessential appositives are set off by commas.

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What is an example of a nonessential appositive?

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In the sentence 'My brother, a talented musician, plays the guitar,' 'a talented musician' is a nonessential appositive.

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What is an example of an essential appositive?

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In the sentence 'My friend Sarah is coming over,' 'Sarah' is an essential appositive that identifies which friend.

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What happens to the meaning of a sentence if a nonessential appositive is removed?

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Removing a nonessential appositive does not change the basic meaning of the sentence.

Front

What is a nonrestrictive clause?

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A nonrestrictive clause is a type of clause that provides additional information but is not essential to the meaning of the sentence.

Front

Can appositives be used to clarify or specify a noun?

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Yes, appositives can clarify or specify a noun by providing additional details.

Front

What is the role of commas in appositive phrases?

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Commas are used to separate nonessential appositives from the rest of the sentence.

Front

What is the function of an appositive phrase?

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An appositive phrase functions to rename or provide more information about a noun.