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  1. The talented local runner and medal winner, Joanne Smith, has won gold in the local race for charity.

  2. The daughter of a local councilor, runner Joanne Smith, has won gold in the local race for charity.

  3. A young but traumatized student Joanne Smith survives the wreckage of a plane crash.

Are the commas required as a rule in these examples or not, as the names appear essential to the meaning of the sentences?

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  • Why do you think the names are essential? That's only the case if there is more than one talented local runner and medal winner, more than one daughter of a local counsellor, or more than one young but traumatized student. If there are at least two of those things, then there should be no commas, because the name distinguishes between the possible people. But if only one such person exists, then the name isn't required (it can only be that person), so commas are used.
    – Jason Bassford
    Commented Jun 21, 2019 at 14:03
  • I thought the details in the description within the sentence determined the commas. Like: the 'youngest' local runner and medal winner, Joanne Smith, won gold. In my examples we are only assuming there is only one daughter of a councilor who is a runner.
    – bluebell1
    Commented Jun 22, 2019 at 9:17

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