By: Shanna Hovley
The Oxford comma, also called the serial comma or the Harvard comma, is one of the most controversial punctuation marks in the English language. There are a lot of opinions on this seemingly innocuous mark. In the Chicago and APA Manuals of Style, the Oxford comma is highly recommended.
When you are listing a series of things, the Oxford comma is placed before the conjunction (and, or).
Examples:
Shanna walked to the store, the mall, and the park.
Gerrit ate fruit, steak, and muffins.
Lori contacted her lab partner, the manager, and the security team after the breach.
Why is the Oxford comma necessary in sentences?
While many businesses and schools require the Oxford comma, it is also important for clarity. How does it create clarity?
Examples:
Maia used her cousins, Gandhi, and Mother Teresa as examples of good people in her life.
Versus:
Maia used her cousins, Gandhi and Mother Teresa as examples of good people in her life.
In the second example, it can be read that Maia’s cousins are Gandhi and Mother Teresa.
My favorite things are eating, Grandma and Grandpa.
Do you see how the meaning can change? While you can also change the sentence to avoid it reading that way, it’s preferable to use the Oxford comma.
My favorite things are Grandma, Grandpa and eating.
Oxford commas are an easy thing to miss which is why it’s important to edit your work for clarity of meaning and for grammar.
“An aspiring writer should write one time and edit ten times.” Amit Kalantri