Appositives & Interrupters

Front

What is an appositive?

Back

An appositive is a noun or noun phrase that renames or provides additional information about another noun right beside it.

Front

Provide an example of an appositive in a sentence.

Back

My brother, a skilled guitarist, plays in a band.

Front

What is an interrupter?

Back

An interrupter is a word or phrase that adds extra information to a sentence but can be removed without changing the sentence's meaning.

Front

Provide an example of an interrupter in a sentence.

Back

The movie, surprisingly, was a huge success.

Front

What punctuation is used to set off an interrupter?

Back

Commas are used to set off an interrupter from the rest of the sentence.

Front

What is the difference between essential and non-essential information?

Back

Essential information is necessary for the meaning of the sentence, while non-essential information can be removed without changing the sentence's core meaning.

Front

How do you punctuate non-essential information in a sentence?

Back

Non-essential information is set off by commas.

Front

Identify the appositive in the sentence: 'My friend Sarah is an excellent cook.'

Back

The appositive is 'Sarah'.

Front

Identify the interrupter in the sentence: 'The weather, however, was perfect for a picnic.'

Back

The interrupter is 'however'.

Front

What is the purpose of using appositives in writing?

Back

Appositives provide additional detail and clarity about a noun.