Are you positive you know how to find an appositive? Try the sentence below: RW3, an ABE class at SCALE, worked so hard every day!

I love appositives because they are a way to stretch or expand your sentences by adding strong details! When they are placed between commas, as the ones we will look at tonight have, I like to think of them as extra information you may whisper to a friend so that they know what or whom you are talking about!

Let's try some now!

Example: Tom Brady, the quarterback who used to play for the Patriots, plays for a Florida team now!

I could easily say: Tom Brady plays for a Florida team now.

The sentence still makes perfect sense and is complete. But....sometimes, we want to give more information to be as clear as possible. Suppose someone doesn't know who Tom Brady is? 

The added appositive, which are the words "the quarterback who used to play for the Patriots" provides extra information so that the reader or listener knows exactly whom we are speaking about.

Because the appositive replaces the noun (and subject) in this sentence, the appositive itself often could be used in the sentence in its place.

Here's what I mean: The quarterback who used to play for the Patriots plays for a Florida team now!

Notice that I took the subject "Tom Brady" out of the sentence, and I left the appositive in! The sentence still makes perfect sense!

One more thing -- we can switch things around and make the subject the appositive! This may sound confusing, but look at this: The quarterback who used to play for the Patriots, Tom Brady, plays for a Florida team now.

Because of its placement, "Tom Brady" has now become the appositive!

Let's try a few of together, and then several more on your own! Try to name the appositive in the following sentences:

1. Poland Springs, a popular brand of spring water, is made from a natural spring.
2. The beautiful plant on my counter, a pothos, needed extra water today.
3. My new writing tool, a fountain pen, is so smooth and easy to write with.
4. The United States, a country on the North American continent, is where we live!
5. Colombian coffee, a personal favorite of mine, has a rich taste.
6. My daughter once took a trip to England, a wonderful country in which Queen Elizabeth is the ruler.
7. Reading, a skill we all should practice every single day, is often fun to do right before going to sleep.
8. Poetry, my favorite literary form, speaks from the heart and soul.

Now......it's time for you to create a few of your own! Let's talk about how you can do this in class tonight!