Commas in Appositives and Nonrestrictive Clauses

Appositives!!

(It sounds fancy, but it's not really!!)

Appositive

An appositive is a noun that is placed next to another noun to identify or add information about it.

Example: James Madison’s wife, Dolley, was a famous first lady.

The noun Dolley identifies the noun next to it, wife. In this sentence, Dolley is an appositive.

Appositive Phrases

An appositive phrase is a group of words that includes an appositive and other words that modify the appositive.

Example: Madison, our fourth president, held many other offices.

The words our and fourth modify the appositive president. The phrase our fourth president is an appositive phrase. It identifies the noun Madison.

Use the Yes->No, No->Yes Rule

Ask two questions. If the answer to the first is "yes," the answer to the second is "no," and vice versa (the other way around).

First question: is the appositive (phrase) necessary in the sentence? Second question: are commas necessary around the word/phrase?

If there are multiple options, the phrase is necessary (yes), so commas are not necessary (no).

If there is only one option, the phrase is not necessary (no), so commas are necessary (yes). (most common)

Multiple Choice

The teacher, Mrs. Smith, graded the test papers until early in the morning.

• The teacher

• Mrs. Smith

• graded the test papers until early in the morning

• There are no appositives in this sentence.

Multiple Choice

The student Andrew would not stay in his seat.

• The student

• Andrew

• would not stay in his seat

• There are no appositives in this sentence.

Multiple Choice

Ladie the dog jumped over the fence.

• Ladie

• the dog

• jumped over the fence

• There are no appositives in this sentence.

Multiple Choice

The science experiment, a test on the amount of toxic gas in the air during 7th period, was very informative.

• The science experiment

• a test on the amount of toxic gas in the air during 7th period

• was very informative.

• There are no appositives in this sentence.

Multiple Choice

Mrs. Casey’s second period class, the one with the most creative writers, has produced some very funny sentences.

• Mrs. Casey’s second period class

• the one with the most creative writers

• has produced some very funny sentences.

• There are no appositives in this sentence.

Multiple Choice

I asked the cashier for change, twenty dollars

• I asked

• the cashier for change

• twenty dollars

• There are no appositives in this sentence.

What is a Nonrestrictive Element?

• Nonrestrictive elements are phrases in a sentence that contain "extra information" about the sentence. If you were to remove this part of the sentence, the meaning would not be changed & the sentence would still make sense.

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• ​Commas , dashes - and parentheses ( ) can be used to set off the nonrestrictive element from the rest of the sentence.

Examples of Nonrestrictive Elements

Drew Brees, who used to play for the Saints, retired in 2021.

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​We decorated our Christmas tree, the white one, this past weekend.

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​My brothers, Lance, Rob, and Josh, are all on the soccer team.

Multiple Choice

What is a nonrestrictive element in a sentence?

• a part of a sentence that is very important

• a part of a sentence that is extra information and interrupts

Multiple Choice

Q. What is the nonrestrictive element in this sentence?

My mother, who had been waiting for the past 30 minutes, was beginning to question where the train was.

• My mother

• who had been waiting for the past 30 minutes

• was beginning to question

• where the train was.

Multiple Choice

What is the nonrestrictive element (or nonessential piece of information) in this sentence?

Pearls which are expensive aren't something I buy very often.

• which are expensive

• pearls

• aren't something I buy very often

• There is no nonrestrictive element in this sentence.

Multiple Choice

Where should the commas be placed?

• Olivia, who lives next door, invited me to her birthday party.

• Olivia who, lives next door, invited me to her birthday party.

• Olivia, who lives next door invited me, to her birthday party.

• Olivia, who lives next door, invited me, to her birthday party.

Multiple Choice

Which sentence correctly uses commas with a nonrestrictive clause?

• Rene, who is often out of his seat, is very tall.

• Jerry, is who fell down the stairs.

• Simon, can you throw this away?