The Oxford comma, or serial comma, is the comma that is placed before a conjunction after a series of three or more items.
Example
With Oxford comma: This song, Girls Just Want to Have Fun, is dedicated to my sisters, Thelma, and Louise.
Without Oxford comma: This song, Girls Just Want to Have Fun, is dedicated to my sisters, Thelma and Louise.
Without the Oxford comma it is unclear if the song, a pop classic, is dedicated to the dedicator’s two sisters named Thelma and Louise; or if the song is dedicated to the dedicator’s sisters and two chicks whose names are Thelma and Louise. The Oxford comma provides clarity and minimizes confusion for the reader.
It wasn’t until a few years ago that I even knew the not using the Oxford comma was an option. It is an option I wholeheartedly reject. Don’t be a part of the problem; use the Oxford comma.
Want to learn more about my beloved Oxford comma? Check out the video below.
What punctuation or grammar rule do you love? Which grammar offense do you hate the most? Please note, I will not engage in Oxford comma debate. I’ve learned not to talk politics, religion, PC vs. Mac, or Oxford comma online; it’s just to derisive.
Saw this via the #SundayBlogShare. Thanks for sharing this. I work with attorneys and for some reason they won’t do this. It drives me crazy. I have lots of grammatical pet peeve. And I have special feelings for the hyphen.
P. S. Thanks for the follow!
Shame on them.
I admit I tend to abuse the hyphen. But none of us are perfect so there’s that. 😀 No worries. I can’t wait to check out your blog.
The Oxford Comma! Thank you for delineating its use, non-use, and optionality! I was not formally familiar with it, but have come to understand, through this post, that it has been a great friend to me for most of my writing life! Thank you for the smiles. My very best to you. Renate
Why thank you Renate. I am so glad you see the usefulness of our friend. May the Oxford comma serve you well!
Thanks for visiting. 🙂
https://i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/5177819904/h97414428/
Indeed!
Love that pic! I read another bloggers comment that commas are “periods with flair”. I couldn’t agree more.
I understand that the Oxford comma lends clarity. But its also a matter of dispute which is why I prefer to substitute it with other punctuation. Quoting your example ‘… my sisters: Thelma and Louise’
That’s cool too. Just as long as there is something instead of nothing. I kind of have a crush on the : too.
FYI: I found your post on Bullied or Trolled interesting. I read your paper and it is good. You should really consider submitting an article based on your findings and suggestions to educational magazines.
http://lawyeringup.wordpress.com/2014/06/11/bullied-trolled/
Thanks for the encouragement Renae! Will do that
I prefer, and use, the Oxford comma. Well aware of the ambiguitues of not using it. Though often I will work the words differently, so in your example it would become; This song, Girls Just Want to Have Fun, is dedicated to Thelma and Louise, my sisters.
Thanks for supporting the Oxford comma. I loved your poem about the life of a comma.
http://robertjepson.wordpress.com/2014/06/29/the-life-of-a-comma/#comments
I hate grammar rules, but I love punctuations. Nice to know about Oxford Comma. I didn’t know it has a specific name, I just use it for clarification. Thanks for sharing. 😀
You are welcome. I didn’t know what it was until I started to see it less in print. I need it for clarification when I read and write. I’m a terrible speller so those rules are always silly to me.
Love it! I love the example slide show.
Mine post about the comma too.
http://uncustomaryhousewife.wordpress.com/2014/06/30/a-tale-of-two-commas/
Thanks! I checked out your post. Love! It was too cute. I’m a little jealous of what you did with ‘A Tale of Two Cities’.