Miscellaneous Topics
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The Writing Centre

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Apposition

When two words, clauses, or phrases stand close together and share the same part of the sentence, they are in apposition and are called appositives.

In fact, an appositive is very much like a subject complement, only without the linking verb:

subject complement
My brother is a research associate.
appositive
My brother the research associate works at a large polling firm.
subject complement
Jean became a magistrate.
appositive
I have never met Jean the magistrate.

 

Written by David Megginson

 

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Last updated: 2007.08.16