appositives: adding style to your writing

APPOSITIVESWriting with Style

Appositives

Add description Give you better sentence fluency

Average Style

Steven Spielberg is a film director. His films have won many awards.

With an appositive

Film director, Steven Spielberg’s films have won many awards.

You can use noun phrases or adjectives. Brave and intelligent, Victor was a hero in

WWII. Victor, a WWII hero, was brave and intelligent. Ilsa, Victor’s wife, had been in love with Rick

in Paris. Strict and heartless, Major Strasser got shot

at the end of Casablanca. Major Strasser, strict and heartless, got shot

at the end of Casablanca.

Where?

Put the appositive before or right after the noun it describes.A genius, Sherlock Holmes can outsmart

just about any criminal.Watson, Sherlock’s loyal friend, wrote about

their adventures together.Romantic and exciting, Titanic tells the love

story of Rose and Jack.Titanic, romantic and exciting, tells the love

story of Rose and Jack.

Write

Write 4 sentences with appositives about a movie or TV show you enjoy.