An appositive is a noun or noun phrase that renames or explains another noun or noun phrase. An appositive phrase is a group of words that includes an appositive and any modifiers associated with the appositive.
Here are some examples of appositive phrases:
- My friend, the doctor (appositive: “the doctor”; noun being modified: “friend”)
- The book, a bestseller (appositive: “a bestseller”; noun being modified: “book”)
- My sister, the engineer (appositive: “the engineer”; noun being modified: “sister”)
- The dog, a rescue (appositive: “a rescue”; noun being modified: “dog”)
In each of these examples, the appositive phrase is providing additional information about the noun being modified. It is set off by commas or parentheses and is not essential to the basic structure of the sentence. The appositive in the phrase is the main focus of the phrase, and the modifiers provide additional information about the appositive.