Punctuation: Use Commas with Appositives

Punctuation: Use Commas with Appositives

An appositive explains or identifies another word. The appositive directly follows the word it explains.

Ex: Mr. Taft, our counselor, spoke to us about our programs.

“Our counselor” is an appositive because it identifies who Mr. Taft is.

The house, a brick two-flat, is for sale.

“A brick two-flat” is an appositive because it identifies the house.

Rule: Use commas to set off most appositives!

One exception is for single names. When the noun in apposition is a single name, do not use a comma to set it off.

Here are some examples. Notice the commas!

Ms. Moreno, our next door neighbor, repaired the fence.

The semifinalists, Wanda and Rachel, have been notified.

The match is between Erica and Susan, the two front-runners.