How To Use Commas List
Punctuation is used to separate the items in the list.
How to use commas list. With three list items use a comma between the list items and before the and or whatever conjunction if it s your local convention. My estate goes to my husband son daughter in law and nephew. How to use punctuation in lists. Use commas when writing a list of at least three words phrases or clauses in a sentence. There are some cases where you know you should use a comma such as when separating items in a list but there are other times when you might be unsure whether or not a comma is needed.
Commas are used to separate list items. This page explains when to use commas in lists has lots of examples and includes an interactive exercise. In that case you would not place a comma before the and that joins the final two items. It s almost always optional to put a comma before and in a list. When writing a list you should put a comma between each item except for the last item where you use and.
A comma is a form of punctuation that indicates a pause in a sentence and separates items in a list. Oxford commas are also known as serial or harvard commas. To separate the items in a list. Place a comma between each item in the list unless you are writing in associated press style. Use commas to separate words and word groups in a simple series of three or more items.
Commas can be a particularly tricky punctuation mark. I need to go to the supermarket to buy eggs milk bread sugar and. 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 comma most newspapers and magazines drop the oxford comma in a simple series apparently. Comma before and in lists. A lot of people have strong feelings about putting a comma before and in a list.
While there s some degree of flexibility in how commas are used it s important to have a clear grasp of the rules. When correcting a comma splice that is when joining two independent clauses with a coordinating conjunction put the comma before and. The usual way of doing this is to place a comma after each item in the list. Commas should be used before and when joining two independent clauses or when compiling a list. Whether or not you put a comma before and depends on how you re using and there s no single rule that applies to all situations.