appositive phrase

[bryangonterman]

What is the best way to find a appositive phrase

[5jj]

What is the best way to find an appositive phrase

Start here, The Appositive , and then come back if you have more specific questions.

[TheParser]

What is the best way to find a appositive phrase

REMINDER: NOT A TEACHER


(1) Teacher Fivejedjon has given us learners an excellent link.

(2) May I just emphasize one point:

Tom: Ms. Smith is very patient and kind.

Sue: Who is Ms. Smith?

Tom: She's my math teacher.

As you can see, Tom wants Sue to know that Ms. Smith is patient and kind.

The fact that she is his math teacher is nice and extra information, but it is not

necessary to Tom's main idea. So in writing, it would be shorter to express it like

this:

Ms. Smith, my math teacher, is very patient and kind.

We call "my math teacher" an appositive phrase. We put commas around it because

the two commas mean that we can delete (erase) the words between the commas,

and the sentence will still be good English and express Tom's main idea.

***

Mona: I am studying Mandarin.

Tony: Excuse my ignorance, but what is Mandarin?

Mona: Oh, it's the official language in China.

Can you now put Mona's two sentences into one sentence, using an appositive

phrase? I am sure that you can. I think (repeat: think) that it could be written

like this:

I am studying Mandarin, the official language in China.

(4) Please remember: when we speak, we can use many words and repeat ourselves.

But when we write, we want to say things in a shorter and more organized way.