Appositive Phrases Worksheet

Appositive Phrases Practice

An appositive phrase is a noun or noun phrase that renames another noun right beside it. It provides extra information about the noun. Non-essential appositive phrases are set off by commas. Essential appositive phrases are not. Read the instructions for each section carefully and complete the exercises.

Identify the appositive phrase in the following sentence:

1. My brother, a talented musician, is performing tonight.

2. We visited Rome, the Eternal City, during our vacation.

Complete each sentence by adding an appropriate appositive phrase. Remember to use commas if the phrase is non-essential.

3. Ms. Davis,  , always encourages her students to read.

4. My dog,  , loves to chase squirrels.

5. The Eiffel Tower,  , is a famous landmark in Paris.

Write two original sentences, each containing an appositive phrase. Underline the appositive phrase and circle the noun it renames.

6.

7.

Indicate whether the appositive phrase in each sentence is essential (E) or non-essential (NE).

8. My friend John is coming to the party.

9. The author J.K. Rowling wrote the Harry Potter series.

Read the following passage. Underline all appositive phrases and explain whether each is essential or non-essential, justifying your answer.

Ernest Hemingway, a celebrated American novelist, was known for his concise and impactful prose. His novel 'The Old Man and the Sea,' a story about an aging Cuban fisherman, won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1953. Hemingway's writing style, often referred to as the 'iceberg theory,' influenced many subsequent authors. His home in Key West, Florida, is now a museum, attracting visitors from around the world. The museum's resident cats, descendants of Hemingway's own polydactyl cat, are a unique attraction.