Relative vs.

Appositive Clause
1. The news that John had left his wife came as a
shock to us all.

2. The news that John told his wife gave her a

shock.

Let’s paraphrase these sentences using :

The news was: ____________________.

3. The news was: ‘John had left his wife’

4. The news was:’John told his wife’ 
• Appositives stand side by side and they both
have the same reference

• News = John had left his wife

• News = John had told his wife

1. The rumour that Anne spread in town was
terrible.

2. The rumour that the Princess of Wales is

pregnant again has not been confirmed by
Court officials.

3. Relative clause
4. Appositive clause
• That clauses , which give the content of nouns
such as facts, report, news, etc. , are called
appositive clauses.
1. The story that Mr. Adams wrote for his children has recently
been published in a collection.
2. The story that Bill met Anne secretly behind the building has
been made up.
3. The fact that the Prime Minister was involved in a drugs
scandal was really embarrassing.
4. The news that the Prime Minister gave the reporters did not
surprise anyone.
5. The assumption that John is coming back soon seems
unfounded.
6. The assumption that he bases his theory on may be false.
1. relative clause
2. appositive clause
3. Appositive
4. Relative
5. Appositive
6. Relative
Add an appositive clause.
• The belief was unfounded.
• The fact speaks for itself.
• Her words distressed him very much.
Find appositive clauses
• Answers:
1. A
2. A
3. A
4. R
5. A
6. R
7. A
8. A
9. R
1. Sara, the most serious student in the class, always did her homework.

2. A pregnant,fifteen-year-old Indian woman, Sacagawea, one of the wives of the French fur-

trader Charbonneau, accompanied the expedition as a translator.

(Sacagawea's name is a parenthetical element (structurally, the sentence adequately identifies her as "a
pregnant, fifteen-year-old Indian woman"), and thus her name is set off by commas; Charbonneau's
name, however, is essential to the meaning of the sentence (otherwise, which fur-trader are we talking
about?) and is not set off by a pair of commas .)

3. Calhoun's ambition, to become a goalie in professional soccer, is within his reach.

4. Eleanor, his wife of thirty years, suddenly decided to open her own business.

5. They couldn't believe when the little boy stood up to John, the biggest bully in the whole

school.

6. Sara's sundae, a gigantic mountain of ice cream, started to melt when she took it

outside
7. An enormous man with great strength, Henry was able to carry the entire bag of bricks by

himself.
8. A modern piece of furniture, the bookshelf was
moved into the house first.
9. I spent two days in London, one of the most
attractive places in England.
10. Buddhism, one of the greatest religions, was founded
in 2500 years ago.
11. She heard the news that her husband died.
1. Lauren and Jerome will set up for the meeting, and the
rest of us will clean up later.
2. Because our history class will be at the museum, I'll miss
the Spanish quiz, but I'll take it after school.
3. Anna and Luis will buy the tickets, which go on sale
tomorrow.
4. Joe's brother has the lead in the musical because his voice
best fits the part.
5. Will you read your report to the class?
6. After we paint the scenery on Saturday, we will set it up on
the stage, but the cast won't rehearse onstage until
Monday.
1. Compound
2. Complex-compound
3. Complex
4. Complex
5. Simple
6. Complex-compound
Underline the appositives. Punctuate them accordingly.
Place an “R” next to sentences that contain a
restrictive appositive and an “N” next to sentences that
contain a non-restrictive appositive.

1. John lost his dog a small Chihuahua at the lake.

2. Julia knows Joe Montana the Hall of Fame
quarterback.
3. Stephanie my cousin just bought a house.
4. My cousin Stephanie just bought a house.
5. Froilan one of my roommates is a Marine.
6. My other roommate Mike is a police officer.
Key:
1.) N
2.) N
3.) N
4.) R
5.) N
6.) R
1. (Rewrite the sentence below so that the appositive
appears at the end.)
The final gift--hope--lay at the bottom of Pandora's
box.

2. (Combine the sentences below by turning the first

sentence into a negative appositive.)
Merdine was never a threat to anyone.
Merdine talked tough and walked with a swagger.

3. (Combine the two sentences below by turning the

second sentence into an appositive.)
Madge and I strolled through the graveyard.
The graveyard is the most peaceful spot in town.
• (Combine the following sentences into one clear
sentence: turn sentences two through seven into a
list appositive.
It was the kind of home that gathers memories like
dust.
It was a place filled with laughter.
It was a place filled with play.
It was a place filled with pain.
It was a place filled with hurt.
It was a place filled with ghosts.
It was a place filled with games.
• The final gift lay at the bottom of Pandora's box--hope.

• Never a threat to anyone, Merdine talked tough and

walked with a swagger.

• Madge and I strolled through the graveyard, the most

peaceful spot in town.

• It was the kind of home that gathers memories like

dust--a place filled with laughter and play, pain and
hurt, ghosts and games.