The Oxford comma is the comma placed before the conjunction at the end of a list of things. For example, in “the flag was red, white, and blue”, the Oxford comma would be the one appearing before “and”. Proponents of the Oxford comma say it’s necessary for removing ambiguity in sentences.
Why is the Oxford comma so controversial?
This practice is controversial and is known as the serial comma or Oxford comma, because it is part of the house style of Oxford University Press.” There are cases in which the use of the serial comma can avoid ambiguity and also instances in which its use can introduce ambiguity.
Why you shouldn’t use the Oxford comma?
Why don’t they use it? Many opponents of the Oxford comma claim that it makes a piece of writing sound more pretentious and stuffy, and that it can make things seem cluttered and redundant. Many magazine publishers renounce its use as well, because sentences loaded with commas take up valuable page space.
Is Oxford comma grammatically correct?
Contrary to what most students believe, the Oxford comma isn’t grammatically correct. But that doesn’t mean it’s wrong to use it. Instead, it’s grammatically optional. As mentioned in the section above, whether or not you use the Oxford comma will depend on the style guide you follow.
What is the difference between an Oxford comma and a regular comma?
The main difference between Oxford comma and comma is that an Oxford comma refers to a comma that usually comes before the final conjunction of a sentence, while a regular comma is a punctuation mark that depicts the divisions in a particular sentence.
What is an Oxford comma example?
The Oxford (or serial) comma is the final comma in a list of things. For example: Please bring me a pencil, eraser, and notebook. The Oxford comma comes right after eraser.
Why is the Oxford comma necessary?
The Oxford comma is the comma placed before the conjunction at the end of a list of things. For example, in “the flag was red, white, and blue”, the Oxford comma would be the one appearing before “and”. Proponents of the Oxford comma say it’s necessary for removing ambiguity in sentences.
Why do they call it the Oxford comma?
The Oxford comma is the final comma that comes before the conjunction in a list of three or more items. Its name comes from the Oxford University Press (OUP), where for over a century it has been standard in the Oxford Style Manual.
Is it grammatically correct to put a comma before and?
It is grammatically correct to use a comma before “and” (and other coordinating conjunctions such as “but”, “or”, “nor”) only when it splits two independent clauses (i.e. if you remove the “and” you will be left with two complete sentences), or if you’re using it as an Oxford comma.
Does MLA use the Oxford comma?
The Modern Language Association (MLA), American Psychological Association (APA), Chicago Manual of Style (CMS), and Oxford University Press all support the Oxford comma.
Who invented the Oxford comma?
Horace Hart
The Oxford comma has been attributed to Horace Hart, printer and controller of the Oxford University Press from 1893 to 1915, who wrote Hart’s Rules for Compositors and Readers in 1905 as a style guide for the employees working at the press.
Is the Oxford comma used in Australia?
In Australia, most style guides recommend leaving out the Oxford comma. However, public service style guides, for example, allow them to be used where confusion could arise or where the items in the list are more complicated than simple one-word names.
Which countries use the Oxford comma?
Although its use is widespread in North America, the Oxford comma is not as widely used in Australia and the UK. The Australian government’s Style Manual for Authors, Editors and Printers merely says “sometimes a comma is placed between the last two items to ensure clarity” and doesn’t use it in the manual’s title.
Is there a comma between last name and III?
John Smith III or John Smith, III? A. Traditionally, it would be John Smith, Jr., and John Smith III. But beginning with the fourteenth edition of The Chicago Manual of Style (1993), the recommendation is to use no commas in either case (see paragraph 6.43 of the seventeenth edition):
Does Chicago style use Oxford comma?
Chicago has a few rules about commas that are easy to overlook. The most important is that Chicago “strongly recommends” using a serial (or Oxford) comma for lists of three or more items.
What is an ox comma?
So what is the Oxford comma? Well, appropriately enough, the Oxford Dictionary has the answer. 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: “Today I went to lunch with my roommates, Tom, and Molly.”
Who invented the full stop?
The full stop symbol derives from the Greek punctuation introduced by Aristophanes of Byzantium in the 3rd century BCE. In his system, there were a series of dots whose placement determined their meaning.
Does Cambridge use Oxford comma?
In its own text, the guide by Cambridge omits serial commas; Oxford’s retains them. So for British English, use serial commas or omit them, but do so consistently. And if you go without, make sure to add a comma wherever its absence might create ambiguity.
What are the 8 rules for commas?
Commas (Eight Basic Uses)
- Use a comma to separate independent clauses.
- Use a comma after an introductory clause or phrase.
- Use a comma between all items in a series.
- Use commas to set off nonrestrictive clauses.
- Use a comma to set off appositives.
- Use a comma to indicate direct address.
- Use commas to set off direct quotations.
How many commas do you need for 3 words?
Use a comma after phrases of more than three words that begin a sentence. If the phrase has fewer than three words, the comma is optional.
Do u put a comma after Because?
Sentences with Positive Verbs
When the main clause of a sentence contains a positive verb, inserting a comma before because makes what follows nonessential to the meaning of the sentence: Alex ordered the book online. Robert also ordered the book online, because he was running out of reading material.
