– COMMAS AND SENTENCE PARTS –
8. a. I began working for this company, before I was sixteen. b. Before I was sixteen, I began working for this company.
Commas with Appositives
An appositive is a word or group of words that immediately follows a noun or pronoun. The appositive makes the noun or pronoun clearer or more definite by explaining or identifying it. Look at the examples below. The appositives and appositive phrases have been highlighted.
9. a. Dripping with water from head to toe, Angie climbed the bank of the river. b. Dripping with water from head to toe Angie climbed the bank of the river.
Examples: Rachel Stein won the first prize, an expense-paid vacation to the Bahamas. New Orleans, home of the Saints, is one of my favorite cities. One of the most inspiring motivators in college basketball is Dr. Tom Davis, coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes.
10. a. The company honored its oldest employee at the annual meeting. b. The company honored its oldest employee, at the annual meeting. Commas help a reader know which words belong together. Add commas to the following sentences to help make their meaning clear.
Sometimes, a proper name that identifies or further explains will follow a noun or pronoun. Although this is also a type of appositive, it is not set off by commas.
1. Inside the house was clean and tastefully decorated. 2. After running the greyhounds settled back into their boxes. 3. Alone at night time seems endless. 4. As he watched the game slowly came to an end.
Examples: My sister Deb lives four hours away. The noted novelist Barbara Kingsolver writes about the South and Southwest. The president Manuel Diaz will visit this site tomorrow.
You should have marked the sentences like this: 1. Inside, the house was clean and tastefully decorated. 2. After running, the greyhounds settled back into their boxes. 3. Alone at night, time seems endless. 4. As he watched, the game slowly came to an end.
40