Simple Examples:
* My dog, a golden retriever named Buddy, loves to play fetch. (The appositive phrase "a golden retriever named Buddy" renames "My dog")
* The capital of France, Paris, is a beautiful city. (The appositive "Paris" renames "The capital of France")
* My favorite book, "To Kill a Mockingbird," is a classic. (The appositive "To Kill a Mockingbird" renames "My favorite book")
Examples with Punctuation:
* My favorite musician, Bob Dylan, is a Nobel Prize winner. (The appositive "Bob Dylan" is set off by commas because it is nonrestrictive - it provides additional information but is not essential to understanding the sentence)
* The planet Mars, also known as the Red Planet, is a popular subject of science fiction. (The appositive "also known as the Red Planet" is set off by commas because it is nonrestrictive)
* The new restaurant, which opened last week, is already a hit with locals. (The appositive clause "which opened last week" is set off by commas because it is nonrestrictive)
Examples with a Dash:
* The author – Stephen King – is known for his horror novels. (The appositive "Stephen King" is set off by dashes)
Examples with Parentheses:
* The company (a Fortune 500 firm) is headquartered in New York City. (The appositive "a Fortune 500 firm" is set off by parentheses)
Important Note: An appositive can be a single word, a phrase, or a clause. It always renames or clarifies the noun or pronoun that comes before it.