Writing Tips 7

This is the last one from my Bank of America days. Maybe I’ll go back to using the funnies!

The Oxford comma

The rule: When you have a list of three or more things, put a comma before the conjunction. Common conjunctions:

• And
• Or
• And also/even
• As well as

Good:

• Trains, planes, and automobiles
• She not only likes red, blue, and green, but also chartreuse
• Would you like the steak, the fish, or the cauliflower?

Bad:

• Highlights of his global tour include encounters with Nelson Mandela, an 800 year-old demigod and a dildo collector” [Do the encounters include one person or three?]  —quote from The Times

So—

• If you don’t use the Oxford comma, sometimes you can be misunderstood
• If you use the Oxford comma, you will never be misunderstood