Question

using commas
example
frances, the best photographer in the state, took pictures at my wedding.
the appositive phrase the best photographer in the state identifies frances.
example
ms. vargas, the school guidance counselor, changed all my classes.
the appositive phrase the school guidance counselor identifies ms. vargas.
if the appositive phrase comes at the end of the sentence, there is only a comma at the beginning of the phrase.
example
the opening act was david grubman, a comic from duluth.
sometimes appositives are accidentally treated as complete sentences, but they are actually sentence fragments when left by themselves. appositives have no verb or subject and do not express a complete thought.
exercise 2
rewrite the following sentences and add commas in the correct places. answers can be found at the end of the lesson.

1. my aunt a gourmet cook prepared thanksgiving dinner.
2. i took photographs of adam debbies baby.
3. mr. melvin the bus driver always tells me the news.
4. pretend you are king arthur the leader of the round table.
5. hasim goes bowling every saturday an event he looks forward to all week.

nonessential clauses
clauses that are not introductory are set off by commas if they are nonessential clauses. a nonessential clause adds information to a sentence, but is not essential to the basic meaning of the sentence. if a nonessential clause is removed, the meaning of the sentence is not changed.
example
bobbys house, which is next door to mine, has a game room.
if you remove the nonessential clause which is next door to mine, the meaning of the sentence stays the same. the sentence is not about where bobbys house is, but what it has in it.
bobbys house has a game room.
nonessential clauses usually begin with a subordinating conjunction such as who, whom, whose, which, or that.

Explanation:

1. "a gourmet cook" is an appositive for "My aunt", so commas are added before and after it.
2. No appositive or non - essential clause requiring commas here.
3. "the bus driver" is an appositive for "Mr. Melvin", add commas before and after it.
4. "the leader of the round table" is an appositive for "King Arthur", add commas before and after it.
5. "an event he looks forward to all week" is a non - essential clause for "bowling", add commas before and after it.

Answer:

1. My aunt, a gourmet cook, prepared Thanksgiving dinner.
2. I took photographs of Adam Debbie's baby.
3. Mr. Melvin, the bus driver, always tells me the news.
4. Pretend you are King Arthur, the leader of the round table.
5. Hasim goes bowling every Saturday, an event he looks forward to all week.