Unit 2 Week 5 Introducing Appositives

Appostives

DAY 1 An appositive is a noun or pronoun placed next to a noun or pronoun to identify or explain it. Ex. This is my sister, Kate. James Madison’s wife, Dolley, was a famous first lady. An appositive phrase includes the appositive and the words that modify the appositive. Ex. The seniors, Claudia and she, love to dance. Madison, our fourth president, held many other offices.

QUESTION: WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF AN APPOSITIVE IN A SENTENCE?

Essential and Nonessential Appositives

DAY 2  An essential or restrictive appositive defines a noun so the sentence can be understood.  Ex. My cousin Susan plays the violin.  A nonessential or nonrestrictive appositive is not necessary to understand the sentence.  Ex. The bone doctor, an expert in his field, worked all day and night.

Mechanics and Usage: Using Commas, Dashes, and Parentheses

DAY 3 Use commas to set off nonessential appositives. Ex. The cake, a chocolate one, was delicious. The prize went to Des, my buddy. Use dashes to show a strong break in thought within a sentence. Ex. A snake – it was so long – appeared by my boot. Use parentheses to set off nonessential facts within a sentence. Ex. She hit more home runs (38 in 2008) than any other catcher. Refer to pages 456, 476, and 478 of your Grammar Handbook.

Proofread

DAY 4 1.The king a greedy tyrant kept all the money and food for himself. 2.The author a prize-winning poet published his first novel. 3.My aunt, Jenny, will visit this month. 4.The team has a new coach a former professional player.