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“In short, it's as unwise to say always use an Oxford comma as it is to say never use one. In some cases, you can leave the Oxford comma out without changing the meaning of the sentence. 2. The Oxford comma has become the knee-jerk reaction of punctuation. The Oxford comma accompanies the conjunctions and or or within a series of items: Examples of the Oxford comma in use: During the trip, the tourists visited Morocco, Spain, and Portugal. Generally, whether to include the Oxford comma or not is up to the writer. With more than 30 options available, including subjects as diverse as Medical Biology, Cryptocurrencies, Creative Writing and Criminology, you’ll pursue fascinating new areas of interest. If you’re wondering if pet names should be capitalized, you should probably read this article on capitalization rules. Do you call it the serial comma or the Oxford comma? However, the Oxford comma and its use has inspired thousands of webpages, articles, memes, and even been the basis of a ruling by a court in Maine. Use a Comma With an Appositive. Use of the Oxford comma is stylistic, meaning that some style guides demand its use while others don’t. The Oxford comma, also known as the serial comma, is the final comma you write This makes it sound as though the woman’s sons are called Kate and Sophie, but we know that these are female names, which makes the sentence illogical and jarring. There seems to always be a ferocious debate over the Oxford comma. It comes from Gordon Moore, who co-founded Intel, and it states that the number of transistors in a…, Textbooks often contain relics of bygone expressions. Let's start with defining the Oxford comma (also known as a serial comma—or even a Harvard comma apparently): It's the comma that follows the penultimate item in a list of three or more things. ), If you’re following a stylebook to write a paper or article, be sure to check its policy for commas. “Snuck” vs. “Sneaked”: Which One Is Correct? The Oxford comma, also known as the serial comma or series comma, is the comma placed before the final conjunction (typically an and/or) in a list of three or more items. The Oxford Comma: Small Punctuation, Big Fuss. It also helps keep your material consistent, and saves you from looking like an amateur to your audiences. The basic curriculum might not have changed in five…, There’s clearly something special about the University of Oxford. In the late 1400s, when Manutius was working, a slash mark (/, also called a virgule) denoted a pause in speech. The Cons of Using the Oxford Comma. In Canada we prefer to call it the serial comma. UNITED KINGDOM Interestingly, many languages – including French, German and Italian – do not use the Oxford comma at all. Have you ever heard of Moore’s Law? Study a combination of subjects of your choice, with our world-renowned Broadening Horizons course. It’s pretty obvious, for example, that the girl in the example above would enjoy cake and chicken as two separate foods, not together. Now, the meanings in both the sentences are clearly understood. My estate goes to my husband, son, daughter-in-law, and nephew. Clarification of Meaning: The goal of writing is to communicate a message clearly, so why muddy the waters by omitting the final comma in a series? The usage of the Oxford comma is, unfortunately waning as young whipper-snappers show casual disregard for the precision available to them by leveraging English grammar and punctuation. The word comma literally meant “a piece cut off,” which is from the Greek koptein, meaning “to cut off.”. It’s a feature in the latest Word 365 and Word 2019 way back to Word XP (2002). Learn when to use the Oxford comma (or serial comma) with Grammar Rules from the Writer's Digest editors, including a few examples of correct usages. The English language is fluid, evolving and highly subjective. Facebook has a number of Oxford comma groups and it is a frequent Twitter and Reddit topic. To see what we mean, try reading out a list of items and see how your rhythm alters when you reach the end of it. The Oxford comma is technically called a “serial comma”, or “series comma”, but it’s become popularly known as the “Oxford comma” thanks to its famous use by Oxford University Press, a publishing. In spite of the exposition on the controversy surrounding the use of the oxford comma, or the ambiguity of its source, it is still invaluable. https://grammar.yourdictionary.com/.../oxford-comma-do-you-need-to-use-it.html It's the comma before the final "and" in a series of at least three elements, like red, white, and blue, and people love to fight about it. During the trip, the tourists visited Morocco, Spain, and Portugal. Each needless comma is an excrescence. University of Oxford or those other institutions. In this article, we look in detail at the arguments for and against the use of the Oxford comma and try to get to the bottom, once and for all, of whether or not we really need it. In fact, it’s quite popular in American English overall. (He’s also responsible for italics and the semicolon!) Possibly because its use by algorithms and humans has swelled like a Bay of Fundy tide in recent years. The anti-comma camp is loudest there, and those who oppose this punctuation mark argue it’s unnecessary and clutters up a sentence. Irrespective of this particular line of argument, flexibility seems an appropriate response to this surprisingly complex punctuation issue. contracts with tutors from those institutions, but does not operate under the aegis of the However, at that time, the comma was not called the Oxford comma. Book your personal research project now! It is, after all, what the conjunction is there for, and one could argue that the comma is therefore superfluous – even tautological (a tautology, for those not in the know, being a stylistic error occurring when there is an unnecessary repetition of meaning – but that’s a whole other linguistic minefield). [Infographic] The “serial comma,” also known as the “Oxford comma,” is a hotly debated grammar tool that has divided the grammar and writing world for years. 1. We also love using strippers as an … It is an unforgettable experience that for many is life changing. In the example we gave above, the version without the Oxford comma could be interpreted as meaning that one of the girl’s favourite foods was “cake and chicken” mixed together. The Oxford comma is occasionally also known as a Harvard comma on account of its well-known use at Harvard University Press. If you have control over what you write and publish, you more than likely can choose whether or not to use the Oxford Comma. Oxford alumni seem to find success in almost…, OX5 1PY Keyword: optional. One of the biggest formats to embrace the Oxford comma is APA Style, which is a format commonly used for academic articles, books, and journals. Peter Sutcliff, who named the serial comma “oxford comma” in 1978, attributed its introduction to F Howard Collins. Newspapers, of course, which have historically needed to conserve space and newsprint, tend to omit the Oxford comma. The Times and The Economist, for instance, are both against its use. If you were wondering, I'm pro-comma. Get ready for an inspirational summer of unparalleled learning as you make new friends from around the world. Oxford Royale Academy is a part of Oxford Programs Limited, a company registered in England as Same goes for this one: Possibly because its use by algorithms and humans has swelled like a Bay of Fundy tide in recent years. An Oxford comma is used after the penultimate item in a list of three or more items, so would be placed after the word "prosperity". In English language punctuation, a serial comma, or series comma (also called an Oxford comma or Harvard comma), is a comma placed immediately after the penultimate term (i.e. Not all style guides agree on whether to use the Oxford comma. Discover hidden passions and hidden talents, open your mind to new possibilities or delve deeper into a subject you love. Traditionally, the omission of the Oxford comma has been more common in newspaper publishing, where strict character limits are required in the narrow confines of printed columns. I teach my children to use the Oxford comma for a couple of reason. Readers shouldn't have to reread a sentence to understand the meaning, and omitting the final comma simply leaves the door open for misunderstanding. The premiere grammar ruling for journalists says we don't need the Oxford comma. Mandatory, which is to say mindless, use of the Oxford comma also litters writing with clutter. The style guide that newspaper reporters use, AP Style, doesn’t require use of the Oxford comma. We now turn to the equally passionate arguments against the use of the Oxford comma. Without Oxford comma: “Her favourite foods were chocolate, marshmallows, cake and chicken.” “Between You And Me” vs. “Between You And I”. Some might counter this argument by suggesting that adding a simple comma takes less time than rephrasing a sentence, but if the end result is a more elegantly worded sentence, then one could equally well argue that it is time well spent. The Oxford comma is used to separate words and word groups in a simple series of three or more items. 9 Monumental Words To Call Your Mom Besides “Mother”, Make Mom Smile With These Tips On How To Write A Heartfelt Mother’s Day Card, 8 Terms And Phrases We Adopted From Star Wars, we have a whole slideshow on the Oxford comma, Oxford comma accompanies the conjunctions. For instance, in the last example, we might say “They sent gifts to her sons and to Kate and Sophie”. Why and When to Use the Oxford Comma. Grammar nerds and nazis alike have taken up arms to fight for this punctuation mark struggling for survival. Other than the period, the comma is the most common punctuation mark in English. Why on earth would anyone contest using punctuation that makes your meaning more clear, or more accurately replicates the way you would speak a sentence out loud? Most of the time, each item in a list is just … “There are people who embrace the Oxford comma, and people who don’t, and I’ll just say this: never get between these people when drink has been taken.”. Let’s take a look at Oxford in the 20th century. So says Lynne Truss, author of the hugely successful punctuation bible “Eats Shoots & Leaves”, in reference to the surprising strength of opinion surrounding the use of the Oxford comma. As you can tell from the sentence I love my pets, chocolate and pizza, those who argue in favor of the Oxford comma have a whole slew of example sentences that serve as proof it’s sorely needed. See which you find more persuasive…. What’s more, it can be argued that the conjunction in itself provides enough of a separation between the final two items. If you delete it from the previous example, it still has the same meaning: he bought eggs, milk and bread. For example: The reader can thus see that these are individual topics to be discussed, regardless of whether they have any pre-existing knowledge of Quantum Mechanics or what these subjects are about. Named after the preferred use of such a comma to avoid ambiguity in the house style of Oxford University Press, Oxford comma denotes a comma immediately preceding the conjunction in a list of items. Our GrammarBook.com Rule 1 of Commas recommends, “To avoid confusion, use commas to separate words and word groups with a series of three or more.”. + 44 (0) 1865 954800. The satire site The Onion even posted a story about an Oxford comma rumble between two groups of editors. Oxford comma n. [after the preferred use of such a comma to avoid ambiguity in the house style of Oxford University Press] a comma immediately preceding the conjunction in a … Many well-known American guides, such as The Chicago Manual of Style, advocate it, though there are notable exceptions, such as the Associated Press Stylebook. The alleged importance of the Oxford comma has been humorously depicted in numerous internet memes, while its debatable significance has even been the subject of a popular song by the band Vampire Weekend. With the Oxford comma, it becomes clear that gifts are being sent to her sons in addition to being sent to two other people called Kate and Sophie. However, there’s one comma use that tends to complicate the issue even beyond our recess and lunch box years: the Oxford comma. Some language lovers claim that adding one comma to a sentence can’t hurt and can only help in terms of clarity. For example: “Please can you fetch me some bread and cheese, orange juice and lemonade, and my throat sweets.”. An exchange with one of my readers on Medium in The Writing Cooperative – Joe Varadi – prompted me to write this follow-up to my The Devil is in the Details post about details we often miss as we’re copyediting or proofreading our own work. Even as online grammar checkers force the penultimate comma upon the unsuspecting masses, anti-Oxford diehards push back against its use. In other cases, the Oxford comma can be necessary. Oxford Comma (The Quick Answer) An Oxford Comma is a comma used before the last list item in a list of three or more items. He’s invited only his sister, his parents, and his best friend to the graduation. The Oxford comma is technically called a “serial comma”, or “series comma”, but it’s become popularly known as the “Oxford comma” thanks to its famous use by And it's apparently a thing that many … The Oxford comma earned its name because it was first used by Oxford University Press. To follow this argument, you might talk about “sheep, pigs and cows” without an Oxford comma, because they are all farm animals, but you would use one when referring to unrelated items such as “tables, clothes, and food.” However, this idea is not an accepted rule, and seems more of a personal reimagining of Oxford comma usage. It doesn’t do to use the Oxford comma in an email newsletter but follow a different set of rules when writing blog posts, news releases or website copy. However, depending on … (And truth be told, if there’s a pet Pizza in your life, that’s always going to cause some confusion!). To throw yet another spanner into the works, and in favour of using the Oxford comma on a case-by-case basis, still others argue that the Oxford comma isn’t necessary when listing items that are related to each other, but it is when introducing items that are not related to each other. It is the difference between “Bring hot glue, an icepick and a hairnet” and “Bring hot glue, an icepick , and a hairnet.” (Note: we have no idea what’s about to go down for the person saying this … Entirely optional - correct punctuation neither demands nor requires it. The Oxford comma is used more often in non-journalistic prose. Here's a quick definition if you haven't been actively following this debate. For example: Please bring me a pencil, eraser, and notebook. It's time to give up the ghost. Where do you stand on the troublesome Oxford comma? The Oxford comma has become the knee-jerk reaction of punctuation. The comma before and is the Oxford comma. Learn when to use the Oxford comma (or serial comma) with Grammar Rules from the Writer's Digest editors, including a few examples of correct usages. Write A Jubilant Congratulations Card For Your New Graduate With This Guide, Past Continuous Tense: Rules And Examples, How To Write A LinkedIn Summary That Stands Out, Present Continuous Tense: Rules And Examples. More organizations than the Oxford University Press use this life-saving comma. Oxford Comma (The Quick Answer) An Oxford Comma is a comma used before the last list item in a list of three or more items. A Compilation of Opinions and Recommendations” James Madara on June 16, 2018 10:22 am. Experience the magic of an ORA summer school from the comfort of your own home. Not to make anyone feel old, but if you remember the sound of a dial-up modem, you’ve witnessed the arc of these terms trending from exotic to mundane. The Associated Press (AP) style, used by American journalists, does not require the use of the Oxford comma, so the above example sentence would be written as follows: The study shows that the patients enjoyed reading, knitting and cooking. The use of the Oxford comma is rather controversial. The Oxford comma was deemed to be incorrect by the Department for Education in 2013 after it appeared in a key stage 2 test, even though the answer was … But perhaps sitting on the fence is the right position to take when it comes to the Oxford comma, because deciding on a case-by-case basis whether or not to use it is arguably a more intelligent approach than advocating its blanket use or banning it completely. Many people who have a passion for good grammar argue strongly in favour of the Oxford comma, lamenting the fact that many style guides have unceremoniously binned it. For example: “We are working with John, a farmer, and Tom.”. For those in need of a grammar rules refresh, here’s why an extra Oxford comma (also known as the "serial comma" or "Harvard comma") is the name given to the optional final comma in a series. However, Chicago style does require Oxford commas. To suggest that readers need an extra comma just to be able to understand this is surely underestimating the intelligence of one’s readers. With Oxford comma: “Her favourite foods were chocolate, marshmallows, cake, and chicken.” “There are people who embrace the Oxford comma, and people who don’t, and I’ll just say this: Yale University, USA (Ages 14-18) - Summer 2022. It’s tricky to write a textbook targeted at teenagers. When you’re writing a list, you naturally include commas to separate each item, but an Oxford comma is when you also put a comma before the “and [Final Item]”. This controversial punctuation mark, which separates the penultimate item in a written list from the conjunction, has left many grammarians disagreeing over its use.. You may not be aware of it but the Oxford comma is so important that it became the crux of … If the meaning of the sentence was actually that we are working with three people – John, Tom and a farmer – then either removing the Oxford comma or rephrasing altogether would be more clear. The Oxford comma earned its name because it was first used by Oxford University Press. We would like to share the below OnlineSchools.com presentation with you for this week’s grammar tip. Debate over whether a comma between each item listed more often in non-journalistic prose also. And me ” vs. “ Sneaked ”: what ’ s Law seem compelling... Call it the serial comma “ Oxford comma seem pretty compelling two of., egg, and his best friend to the writer seems an appropriate response to this complex. Like a Bay of Fundy tide in recent years to your audiences are two types of people ones. Thesaurus.Com... right in your inbox stylebook to write a paper or article, be to... 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