Examples:
- The president, Joe Biden, is speaking today.
- My favorite movie, The Shawshank Redemption, is about a man who escapes from prison.
- My dog, a golden retriever, is very friendly.
In the first example, the appositive "Joe Biden" renames the noun "president". In the second example, the appositive "The Shawshank Redemption" renames the noun "my favorite movie". In the third example, the appositive "a golden retriever" provides more information about the noun "my dog".
Appositives can be any part of speech, including nouns, pronouns, adjectives, or phrases. They can be essential or nonessential.
Essential appositives are necessary to identify the noun or pronoun that they rename. They cannot be removed from the sentence without changing the meaning.
Examples:
- The capital of France, Paris, is a beautiful city.
- My best friend, Sarah, is getting married next week.
In the first example, the appositive "Paris" is essential because it is necessary to identify the noun "the capital of France". In the second example, the appositive "Sarah" is essential because it is necessary to identify the pronoun "my best friend".
Nonessential appositives are not necessary to identify the noun or pronoun that they rename. They can be removed from the sentence without changing the meaning.
Examples:
- The White House, the residence of the President of the United States, is located in Washington, D.C.
- My car, a 2020 Honda Civic, is parked in the driveway.
In the first example, the appositive "the residence of the President of the United States" is nonessential because it is not necessary to identify the noun "the White House". In the second example, the appositive "a 2020 Honda Civic" is nonessential because it is not necessary to identify the noun "my car".
Appositives can be used to add variety and interest to your writing. They can also be used to provide more information about the subject of your sentence.