Grammar and punctuation
Commas in a series
In a series of three or more items, the last comma is always omitted, right? For example:
- Red, white and blue
- Honest, energetic but headstrong
Wrong. This is one of those perplexing habits taught in schools by most English teachers and is, in fact, completely wrong. The correct usage is as follows:
- Red, white, and blue
- Honest, energetic, but headstrong
The incorrect usage apparently began with newspaper journalists who wanted to save space by omitting the last comma.
The reason for the final serial comma is to prevent the last 2 items being confused as a unit. Depending on the subject matter, the ambiguity resulting from omitting the last comma can be substantial.
- We have a choice of copper, silver, or gold
- We have a choice of copper, silver or gold
In the above example, the first line lists three possible choices (copper, silver, gold). The second line actually only lists two choices [copper, (silver or gold)].
References:
Good
Grammar, Good Style (Professional Training Company)
The Grammar
Lady Online (Mary Newton Bruder)
HyperGrammar
(University of Ottawa)
Grammar
Handbook (University of Illinois)
Guide to
Grammar and Writing (Capital Community College)
Bartleby.com
(Free online books and references)
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