By: Laura AllenBlock 1

• An appositives is a noun or pronoun that follows another noun or pronoun to identify or explain it. Sentences with one word appositives do not need commas.

Ex. My cousin Jack

The writer William Shakespeare

• An appositive phrase is made up of the appositive and its modifiers

Ex. My neighbor, Dr. Panda, got her degree in biology, the scientific study of life.

• Occasionally the appositive phrase precedes the noun or pronoun

• An appositive phrase : Renames the noun or pronoun Has no subject or verb Can be removed from a sentence still leaving it

intact Can appear anywhere in a sentence

• My cousin Betty is a wonderful musician.

There are no commas because Betty is a one word appositive

Wrong: An accomplished painter Miss. Micro entered her work in all the top notch art shops.

Right: An accomplished painter, Miss. Micro entered her work in all the top notch art shops.

• Wrong: Romeo and Juliet a play about two young lovers was written by William Shakespeare a talented writer in the Elizabethan Era.

• Right: Romeo and Juliet, a play about two young lovers, was written by William Shakespeare, a talented writer in the Elizabethan Era.

Practice: On a separate sheet of paper write (1) the word preceding the appositive (if any), (2) the appositive or

appositive phrase, and (3) the word following the appositive or the appositive phrase (if any)

1.Six Flags an amusement park with locations all over the U.S. is my favorite place to go.

2.Hebert Howdy a carnie working at Six Flags has no hair and only one tooth.

3. Bobo the really funny clown can make all sorts of balloon animals.

4. Gotham City Crime Wave a high-flying swing ride made me throw up after I got off.

5. A Texas oil baron Angus Wynne was the founder of Six Flags.

6. Six Flag New Orleans the newest Six Flags Theme Park has two new coasters.

7.Funnel cake, popcorn, and hotdogs the most popular amusement park foods are delicious.

8. Bugs Bunny a Six Flags mascot has really long ears.

9. Johnny a kid who lost his mom found her at the hotdog stand.

10. Six Flags a really fun amusement park is my favorite place to go.

1. Flags, an amusement park with locations all over the, is

2. Howdy, a carnie working at Six Flags, has3. Bobo, the really funny clown, can4. Wave, a high-flying swing ride, made5. A Texas oil baron, Angus6. Orleans, the newest Six Flags Theme Park, has7. Hotdogs, the most popular amusement park foods, are8. Bunny, a Six Flags mascot, has9. Johnny ,a kid who lost his mom, found10. Flags, a really fun amusement park, is

• www.mantanalife.com/writing/Comma_Rules.html - a helpful websites explaining all the commas rules plus good examples

• www.writing.ucsb.edu/faculty/behrens/app.htm - this website explains all about appositives and has exercises to practice using them

• www.grammarbytes.com – a great website that teaches you about commas then gives you different exercises to practice with

• www.sixflags.com