Oxford comma
If you dont regularly work with words and grammar however you might not even be aware of what the Oxford comma is although you might be using it or not in your writing. In English-language punctuation a serial comma also called a series comma Oxford comma or Harvard comma is a comma placed immediately after the penultimate term ie before the coordinating conjunction such as and or or in a series of three or more termsFor example a list of three countries might be punctuated either as France Italy and Spain without the serial.
The use of the Oxford comma is rather controversial.
. With longer introductory phrases that set the stage for the main part of the sentence its generally best to use a comma. Serial comma series comma Oxford comma or Harvard comma. The Oxford comma is used to separate words and word groups in a simple series of three or more items.
Whatever you call it take a look at that previous sentence. It is also used to separate items in a list to mark off thousands in numerals to separate types or. Heck no one can even agree on what to call it.
A lot of people have strong feelings about putting a comma. This tiny punctuation mark often known as the serial comma has been vehemently defended or dismissed by grammarians for years. Comma definition the sign a mark of punctuation used for indicating a division in a sentence as in setting off a word phrase or clause especially when such a division is accompanied by a slight pause or is to be noted in order to give order to the sequential elements of the sentence.
Use commas to separate words and word groups in a simple series of three or more items. Video from Vampire Weekend for the single Oxford Comma directed by Richard AyoadePurchase Vampire Weekend on vinyl at XL Recordings. Do you know what the Oxford comma is.
It is important to use the Oxford comma as. Oxford spelling is used by many British-based academicscience journals for example Nature and many international. In the example immediately above the serial comma makes it clear that the writer is taking two separate economics courses next semester.
The sentence above written in AP style would look like this. If you introduce a sentence with a transition word eg however hence indeed furthermore follow it with a comma. Writers and editors tend to have strong opinions about the Oxford comma.
Discover what this somewhat controversial punctuation mark is and how its used within the English language. When the last comma in a series comes before and or or after daughter-in-law in the above example it is known as the Oxford commaMost newspapers and magazines drop the Oxford comma in a. Some writers omit it but doing so can cause confusion.
My estate goes to my husband son daughter-in-law and nephew. It is the final comma in. The hottest debate in grammar comes down to a commathe Oxford comma.
You may have been. The Oxford comma comes right after eraser. Whether youre a serial comma user or not youll laugh at these examples that need it.
Use of the Oxford comma is stylistic meaning that some style guides demand its use while others dont. Oxford commas are like the Ugg boots of the punctuation world. On January 28 2008 Michael Hogan of Vanity Fair interviewed Ezra Koenig regarding the title of the song and its relevance to the songs meaning.
Learn more about the Oxford comma and why people are so for or against it. Comma before and in lists. Advises using a semicolon not a comma to join two grammatically complete clauses except when the clauses are very short and similar in form for example.
However the model is not always accurate. Whether you put it in at all times is a different debate Thats hardly a hard-and-fast declaration but the Oxford comma is divisive as anyone whos served as a copy editor at a student newspaper can attest. In some cases it helps avoid ambiguity and double meaning.
However the model is not always accurate. My estate goes to my husband son daughter-in-law and nephew. Comma splices are rare in most published writing but are common among inexperienced writers of English.
Oxford spelling also Oxford English Dictionary spelling Oxford style or Oxford English spelling is a spelling standard that prescribes the use of British spelling in combination with the suffix -ize in words like realize and organization in contrast to use of -ise endings. The original 1918 edition of The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. Brittney Grammarlys resident style maven puts it this way.
The Oxford comma also known as the Harvard comma or serial comma is a comma that precedes the conjunctions and or or when listing three or more words. Commas to introduce a sentence. Its the comma that isnt there after Oxford comma Thats because in AP Style you dont use a comma before the last item in a simple list.
The final comma in a list of items is known as an Oxford comma or serial comma. Why the Oxford comma is important. The English language was introduced to the Americas by British colonisation beginning in the late 16th and early 17th centuriesThe language also spread to numerous other parts of the world as a result of British trade and colonisation and the spread of the former British Empire which by 1921 included 470570 million people about a quarter of the worlds population.
Koenig said he first encountered the Oxford comma a comma used before the conjunction at the end of a list after learning of a Columbia University Facebook group called Students for the Preservation of the. There seems to always be a ferocious debate over the Oxford comma. The Institute comprises 33 Full and 13 Associate Members with 12 Affiliate Members from departments within the University of Cape Town and 12 Adjunct Members based nationally or internationally.
Whether or not you put a comma before and depends on how youre using andTheres no single rule that applies to all situations. The proper definition of the Oxford comma is a comma used after the penultimate item in a list of three or more items before and or or For example. The 10 Million Lawsuit That Hinges On An Oxford Comma For people interested in grammar there is no fiercer debate over the necessity or not of the Oxford comma.
AP Stylethe style guide that newspaper reporters adhere todoes not require the use of the Oxford comma. Today I went to lunch. You usually put a comma before and when its connecting two independent clausesIts almost always optional to put a comma before and in a list.
Song title and meaning. 2 days agoThe Oxford comma holds the distinction of being one of the most disputed grammar rules in English. Omitting the serial comma makes this unclear.
But the resolution means there will be no ruling from the lands highest courts on whether the Oxford comma the often-skipped second comma in a series like A B and C is an. Compare the two examples below. Get a comprehensive guide on the Oxford comma so you can form your own opinion regarding its usage.
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