What is an appositive phrase? Use this concept as a tool for students, not as a problem or as an error.
The best part about teaching appositive phrases is that we can teach it as a tool. So often with grammar lessons, we are teaching fundamental skills that students won’t realize until later.
What is an appositive phrase?
An appositive phrase provides extra information about a noun that precedes it in the sentence. The dictionary has a great definition too, with lots of examples!
A few other features of appositives: They are also noun phrases, commas often surround them, and they can be essential or nonessential.
To tell if an appositive is essential (or necessary for the sentence to make sense), mentally remove the appositive. If you need that extra information for the sentence, do not add commas; the appositive is essential:
The author Emily Dickinson wrote many poems about love.
To understand what poet, we need the appositive “Emily Dickinson.”
Ryan’s older sister, Brook, brought him cookies.
Ryan has one older sister, so “Brook” is extra information that is nice to have, but it is not necessary information. Therefore, the appositive (Brook) has commas.
Read on for ways to incorporate appositives into your ELA lessons.
Writing and appositives.
Sometimes, students ask why they are learning a particular topic. Appositives allow for a simple explanation! With appositive phrases, students can see payoff right away. Look:
Two sentences: Bob has two puppies. They are wild golden retrievers.
Combined sentence with an appositive phrase: Bob’s two puppies, wild golden retrievers, ate his socks.
Student writers can play with their writing in actionable ways. Rather than simply directing young writers to “tighten writing,” we can give them a a tool for doing so. The result is a more sophisticated paragraph.
Plus, teachers frequently tell young writers to”show not tell.” Appositives are the perfect opportunity to add purposeful detail to writing.
Comma use with appositives.
Comma practice with nonrestrictive or a parenthetical element begins approximately in sixth grade. (I saw a few fifth grade teachers tackling this skill, yay!)
Like everything with our content, we should provide definitions and examples, and then let students practice identifying appositive phrases. As students progress through school, they will need additional practice with appositives and comma placement.
After they can can answer what is an appositive phrase, practice comma use. The most meaningful practice comes from students; simply ask them for a school-appropriate noun and write a sentence. You can even be goofy about it:
My dog Barney dislikes the neighbor’s dog Linda.
There are two dogs in this sentence with two appositives, Barney and Linda. To not confuse readers, they are essential (or necessary), so we don’t add commas.
Then practice appositives where a comma is not needed.
The science of reading and appositive phrases.
As I learn about the science of reading, I become more convinced that grammar should not be taught as a punitive measure. We cannot simply have students endlessly correct mistakes or only mention grammar in the context of “what is wrong with my paper.” Rather, a deep understanding of language should serve as a foundation for speaking, writing, and reading.
Appositive phrases fit into that design. Sure, young readers might not stumble upon an appositive while reading and think, “Here is an appositive phrase, and it has commas. What is it renaming?” (English teachers might, but we are a special group.) Rather, most readers will encounter a sentence with an appositive, and since they have learned about appositives, they will recognize that a word has a further explanation.
When they are reading more complex texts, they will find themselves rereading a long sentence and using punctuation as a way to examine the long sentence. But, to get students to that point, we must cover advanced structures like appositive phrases. We must practice the intentionality of using punctuation.
Literature review with appositives.
We should teach grammar the same as we do any other part of our content: in coordination with all aspects of an ELA class. When you are reviewing literature, add appositive phrases into the mix. Here are examples from the classical series, Junie B Jones:
Junie B, Ollie’s older sister, disliked the bus.
Mrs., Junie B’s teacher, was probably tired at the end of the day.
The more layering of our materials, the more students build connections and practice recall. I’ve used this activity many times when reviewing a story. We discuss characters, their relationships to others, and punctuate our sentences correctly.
Teaching Appositive Phrases: A Tool, Not a Test
Appositive phrases reward teachers who present grammar as a craft rather than a correction. When students understand that a single appositive can replace two choppy sentences, they start making intentional choices in their own writing — and that’s the goal.
Start with the definition, move to the comma rule, and let students practice with characters from whatever they’re reading. The payoff shows up in their writing almost immediately, and that’s a rare thing in grammar instruction.
If you’re looking for ready-made appositive practice for older students, my high school grammar bundle includes specific practice. Appositives frequently appear on standardized tests, and I have ideas for support concerning the English portion.