Determine whether the appositive phrase is essential or non-essential. Mark the sentence that punctuates the appositive phrase correctly.
A) A delay a serious one occurred because of foot-deep snow.
B) A delay, a serious one, occurred because of foot-deep snow.
The appositive phrase is "a serious one". It is non-essential.
B) A delay, a serious one, occurred because of foot-deep snow.
To determine whether the appositive phrase is essential or non-essential, we need to understand what an appositive is and how it is punctuated.
An appositive is a noun or noun phrase that renames or identifies another noun or noun phrase in the sentence. It provides additional information about the noun or noun phrase it is modifying. Appositives can be either essential or non-essential, depending on whether they are necessary to understand the intended meaning of the sentence.
Essential appositive phrases provide crucial information that is necessary to identify or specify the noun they are modifying. These appositives are not set off by commas.
Non-essential appositive phrases provide additional, less essential information about the noun they are modifying. These phrases are non-restrictive and are set off by commas.
Let's apply this understanding to the given sentences:
A) A delay a serious one occurred because of foot-deep snow.
In this sentence, the appositive phrase "a serious one" is not set off by commas. This suggests that it is an essential appositive phrase, providing crucial information about the delay. Therefore, the sentence is punctuated correctly.
B) A delay, a serious one, occurred because of foot-deep snow.
In this sentence, the appositive phrase "a serious one" is set off by commas. This indicates that it is a non-essential appositive phrase, providing additional, non-crucial information about the delay. Therefore, the sentence is also punctuated correctly.
Both sentences are punctuated correctly, but they differ in terms of whether the appositive phrase is essential or non-essential.
To determine whether the appositive phrase is essential or non-essential, we need to consider whether the information it provides is necessary for understanding the sentence.
In sentence A, "a serious one" is set off by commas, indicating that it is non-essential information. This means that the appositive phrase is not necessary to understand the sentence.
In sentence B, "a serious one" is set off by commas as well, correctly punctuating the non-essential appositive phrase.
Therefore, sentence B punctuates the appositive phrase correctly.