Macmillan Holdings, LLC. Grammar Girl, Grammar Girl's, QDnow, and Quick and Dirty Tips are all trademarks of Macmillan Holdings, LLC. A little extra information. Katie grammar From the article: Appositives can be tricky, and commas are always tricky, so when faced with an appositive, you need to ask yourself: “essential or extra?” Isn't this an example of a run-on sentence? http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/appositives.aspx?commentid=20853#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/appositives.aspx?commentid=20853#Comments Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:57:39 GMT Louise grammar I am bookmarking this episode because I am constantly coming across this in my editing. I didn't even know there was a name for it before, so thanks, Grammar Girl! http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/appositives.aspx?commentid=15319#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/appositives.aspx?commentid=15319#Comments Fri, 09 Jan 2009 05:19:44 GMT Kris grammar Beth, if you're talking about your own brother, then you would know how many brothers you have, no? I'm not trying to be snarky. I just don't really understand the problem. Can you give another example? http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/appositives.aspx?commentid=15064#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/appositives.aspx?commentid=15064#Comments Sun, 07 Dec 2008 03:22:28 GMT Kristal grammar After listening to this podcast, Thanks to grammer girl I can say I do understand what appositives are and how to use them. I also know how to use esstential and extra commas thanks.:) http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/appositives.aspx?commentid=14823#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/appositives.aspx?commentid=14823#Comments Mon, 24 Nov 2008 19:48:56 GMT nicole grammar i luv this podcast grammar girl! http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/appositives.aspx?commentid=14519#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/appositives.aspx?commentid=14519#Comments Wed, 29 Oct 2008 01:40:20 GMT aardvark grammar Dear Sarahbell, Actually, there are many of us who do care about the rules. Trust me, as Grammar Girl's trusty friend, Aardvark, I know that it can be painful sorting through all of the grammatical references and examples provided by well-meaning listeners. Grammar Girl loves the debate. And yes, there have been some hilarious debates. http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/appositives.aspx?commentid=14430#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/appositives.aspx?commentid=14430#Comments Fri, 24 Oct 2008 01:25:43 GMT Teresa grammar Regarding Appositives Episode 141: October 17, 2008 I think your answer and examples are incorrect. Am I missing something? You stated: Now, if this podcast had only one listener, the story would be different. If Mary were the only listener, and we're glad she's not, then the sentence would have to go like this: “Listener Mary asked about appositives.” It would be incorrect to put commas around her name because her name is essential identifying information. You couldn’t delete the appositive in this case because the sentence would not make sense. You couldn’t say, “Listener asked about appositives.” If Mary were the only listener, then “listener” is her identifying information, which would make her name nonessential. Your example isn’t correct. No, you couldn’t say, “Listener asked about appositives.” But you could say “Our listener asked about appositives.” You can’t always edit by just deleting something without sometimes rewording. If Mary were the only listener, your sentence should read “Our listener, Mary, asked about appositives.” If there is more than one of a category, you do not set off the identifying information with commas because the information is essential in order to figure out which one you mean: I have three sisters. My sister Ann is a furniture maker. If I said “My sister, Ann, is a furniture maker,” that is stating that “my sister is a furniture maker.” But I have three sisters. Which one am I talking about? You don’t know because that information is essential/restrictive, and therefore, can’t be set off with commas. I have one brother; therefore, I could write “My brother, Paul, is a cattle driver.” Chicago 5.29(15th ed) states it correctly and more clearly: Appositives Definitions and use. An appositive noun is one that immediately follows another noun or noun phrase in order to define or further identify it {George Washington, our first president, was born in Virginia} (our first president is an appositive of the proper noun George Washington). Commas frame an appositive noun unless it is restrictive—for example, compare Robert Burns, the poet, wrote many songs about women named Mary (poet is a non-restrictive appositive noun) with the poet Robert Burns wrote many songs about women named Mary (Robert Burns restricts poet by precisely identifying which poet (of many – my emphasis). http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/appositives.aspx?commentid=14429#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/appositives.aspx?commentid=14429#Comments Thu, 23 Oct 2008 16:30:33 GMT Sarahbell grammar I think this website is freaking hilarious!! Firstly, I think some people take this WAY too seriously! I mean to get upset with GrammerGirl is ridiculous! Atleast she is trying to help others...I mean if people have an issue-why don't they start a website?! Okay, and secondly, do you really think people care what you have to say? Not really! BAHAHAHA! mmkay, so enjoy your days then! http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/appositives.aspx?commentid=14382#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/appositives.aspx?commentid=14382#Comments Fri, 17 Oct 2008 20:40:13 GMT Ben grammar I think there's a problem with the second Shakespeare example: The writer William Shakespeare wrote many plays. Subject: The writer. Appositive: William Shakespeare (essential information; therefore no commas) It appears to me that, by including the word "The" before "writer", the name "William Shakespeare" becomes non-essential. In other words, the following sentence makes sense: The writer wrote many plays. Therefore "William Shakespeare" should be flanked by commas. That said, by removing the word "The" from the beginning of the sentence, you could make the name essential: Writer William Shakespeare wrote many plays. (It wouldn't make sense to write: Writer wrote many plays.) Am I correct here? http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/appositives.aspx?commentid=14381#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/appositives.aspx?commentid=14381#Comments Fri, 17 Oct 2008 16:31:35 GMT Len grammar In your first example about the vocational counselor: “A vocational counselor, Jane Smith has agreed to help me get a job.” it might help if (in your head) you add some more text around the job. For example: “(in her role as) A vocational counselor, Jane Smith has agreed to help me get a job.” http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/appositives.aspx?commentid=14380#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/appositives.aspx?commentid=14380#Comments Fri, 17 Oct 2008 16:22:58 GMT Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:57:39 GMT http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/appositives.aspx feedback@quickanddirtytips.com (Managing Editor) feedback@quickanddirtytips.com (Webmaster) en-us