An appositive is a noun or pronoun — often with modifiers — set beside another noun or pronoun to explain or identify it. ... An appositive phrase usually follows the word it explains or identifies, but it may also precede it. A bold innovator, Wassily Kandinsky is known for his colorful abstract paintings.

What is an example of an appositive phrase?

An appositive is a noun or a noun phrase that renames the noun next to it. ... For example, consider the phrase "The boy raced ahead to the finish line. " Adding an appositive noun phrase could result in "The boy, an avid sprinter, raced ahead to the finish line."

What does appositive mean in a sentence?

An appositive noun or noun phrase follows another noun or noun phrase in apposition to it; that is, it provides information that further identifies or defines it. Such “bonus facts” are framed by commas unless the appositive is restrictive (i.e., provides essential information about the noun).