The Serial Comma

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Do you use it? Do you write "corn, peas, and carrots" or "corn, peas and carrots"? The Chicago Manual of Style says use 'em; Strunk and White say don't use 'em. I use to be a staunch avoider of the serial comma, but recently I've had a change of heart.

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I'm a (former) technical writer who(m), as soon as I started writing manuals, stopped using the serial comma. Since my early days of writing, i don't use that final comma before the and.

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I use it partly because my work requires me to use it. I think you'll find that books and technical material use it; magazines and newspapers don't.

I prefer it; I think it makes things just a bit clearer.

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I use the serial comma when the last item in the series is singular. When the last item consists of two related things, I don't use the final comma.

I hate Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, and Cauliflower.

I love Strawberries, Watermelons, peaches and cream

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No comma for me with my cereal thanks, just coffee.

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time passes slowly when you're commatoast.

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Asherman wrote:

I love Strawberries, Watermelons, peaches and cream

That doesn't seem right -- what would you do with that, Roberta?

I think I'd say something like, "I love strawberries, watermelons, and peaches with cream."

No, because then it could be all of those fruits with cream.

"I love strawberries, watermelons, and peaches. I especially love peaches and cream."

Oh I give up. Bedtime.

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Lions, tigers and bears.

Apples, potatos and beets.

Senators, Congressmen and Judges.

There is no necessity to have a comma after tigers, potatos or Congressmen.

Joe(Now, ups and downs, ins and outs, yeas and nays, that's different)Nation

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Kind of a funny thread. Commacal, even.

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This thread is punctuated with amusing commaments.

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Asherman wrote:

I use the serial comma when the last item in the series is singular. When the last item consists of two related things, I don't use the final comma.

I hate Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, and Cauliflower.

I love Strawberries, Watermelons, peaches and cream

In other words, you use the serial comma all the time...because "peaches and cream" is one noun phrase, and putting a comma between that would be a whole other can of worms.

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[CODE]The 'Oxford comma' is an optional comma before the word 'and' at the end of a list:

We sell books, videos, and magazines.

It is so called because it was traditionally used by printer's readers and editors at Oxford University Press. Sometimes it can be necessary for clarity when the items in the list are not single words:

These items are available in black and white, red and yellow, and blue and green.

Some people do not realize that the Oxford comma is acceptable, possibly because they were brought up with the supposed rule (which Fowler would call a 'superstition') about putting punctuation marks before and.

Quote:

http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexperts/faq/aboutother/oxfordcomma

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Joe Nation wrote:

Lions, tigers and bears.

Apples, potatos and beets.

Senators, Congressmen and Judges.

There is no necessity to have a comma after tigers, potatos or Congressmen.

Joe(Now, ups and downs, ins and outs, yeas and nays, that's different)Nation

I don't like spiders and snakes, but that ain't what it takes...

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Thank you Stuh, you're right. I'm afraid that I've forgotten most of the rules that we learned as children. Standing at the blackboard knowing that we were doomed to failure in diagramming that damnable sentence. We could feel Mrs. April's eyes on our backs; imagine the laughter from that little red-headed girl. Finally, we carefully surgically dissect the monster. We wipe away a false start, shudder and begin over. Still ten minutes of class left to endure. In a mad rush we dash something down and bolt to our seat. Its a wonder I remembered those tortures until the day after final examinations. Being a student isn't fun until we get into college.

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Didnt mrs April do a calendar at some time?

Perhaps when she was younger

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sozobe wrote:

Asherman wrote:
I love Strawberries, Watermelons, peaches and cream

That doesn't seem right -- what would you do with that, Roberta?

I think I'd say something like, "I love strawberries, watermelons, and peaches with cream."

No, because then it could be all of those fruits with cream.

"I love strawberries, watermelons, and peaches. I especially love peaches and cream."

Oh I give up. Bedtime.

I think the issue here has been resolved. However, if I were editing this sentence, it would say, "I love strawberries, watermelon, and peaches and cream."

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Peaches 'n cream?

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dadpad wrote:

This thread is punctuated with amusing commaments.

Commies.

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Yes, this is what I like about the serial comma--it avoids drawing undue attention to the last two items of a list when no attention is intended.

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Asherman wrote:

Thank you Stuh, you're right. I'm afraid that I've forgotten most of the rules that we learned as children. Standing at the blackboard knowing that we were doomed to failure in diagramming that damnable sentence. We could feel Mrs. April's eyes on our backs; imagine the laughter from that little red-headed girl. Finally, we carefully surgically dissect the monster. We wipe away a false start, shudder and begin over.[/u] Still ten minutes of class left to endure. In a mad rush we dash something down and bolt to our seat. Its a wonder I remembered those tortures until the day after final examinations. Being a student isn't fun until we get into college.

I see you've opted not to use the serial comma. Very Happy

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The Serial Comma

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