What Is an Appositive? (with Examples)
An appositive is a noun or a noun phrase that sits next to another noun to rename it or to describe it in another way. (The word appositive comes from the Latin for to put near.)
Appositives are usually offset with commas, brackets, or dashes.
Examples of Appositives
Here are some examples of appositives:
Don't leave your shoes there, or my dog, Ollie, will munch them.
(In this example, the appositive is Ollie. It is in apposition (as it's called) to my dog.)
My best friend, Lee, caught a whelk when he was fishing for bass.
(In this example, the appositive is Lee. It is in apposition to My best friend.)
Dr Pat, the creator of the turnip brew, sold 8 barrels on the first day.
(In this example, the appositive is the creator of the turnip brew. It is in apposition to Dr Pat.)
An Appositive Can Be a Noun or a Noun Phrase
An appositive can be a noun, a noun phrase, or a noun clause. For example:
The beast, a lion, was starting to show interest in our party.
(In this example, the appositive is a noun.)
The beast, a large lion with a mane like a bonfire, was starting to show interest in our party.
(In this example, the appositive is a noun phrase.)
