Grammar Helper: Commas in a series
This is part of the series:
- Grammar Helper
- Grammar Helper: Ensure, Assure, Insure
- Grammar Helper: There, Their, They're
- Grammar Helper: Appraise vs. Apprise
- Grammar Helper: Idea vs. Ideal
- Grammar Helper: Commas in a series
- Grammar Helper: Who and Whom (simple version)
- Grammar Helper: I vs. Me
- Writing Help: Who's vs. Whose
- Writing Helper: Just Thinking to Myself
- Writing Helper: Poor and Pour, Then and Than
- Grammar Helper: Its vs It's
- Writing Helper: Breath vs. Breathe, Bath vs. Bathe
- Cite, sight and site
- Writing Helper: Stationary vs. Stationery
- Writing Helper: Lose vs. Loose
- Avoiding the Passive Voice
- Possessive vs. Plural: Getting it Right
- Writing Helper: A lot
- Writing Helper: Bath vs Bathe
- Writing Helper: Choose vs Chose
- Writing Helper: Idea vs. Ideal
Use a comma to separate items in a list of three or more.
- We brought sandwiches, fruit, and salads to the picnic.
or
- We brought sandwiches, fruit and salads to the picnic.
Note that the final comma is optional. However, you may find that your writing is clearer at times with the comma. Whichever you choose, be consistent.
Commas should also be used to separate verbs and phrases that are in a series.
- I cleaned the house, did the shopping, and paid our bills before lunch.
May 30th, 2007 at 10:48 am
I recently had a ridiculously long conversation with another women in my office, discussing the “commas in a list” topic. She was insistent that you NEVER use a comma before “and” when creating a list (as in your first #1 above). I tried to convince her that it is ok and an equally correct option.
Of course, this is a woman who tosses apostrophes around like pennies and insists that the colon should not be used in writing sentences, only when writing time (i.e. 8:48 am). I should have realized I was having an intellectual battle with the unarmed.