What is an Oxford comma give an 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. Use of the Oxford comma is stylistic, meaning that some style guides demand its use while others don’t.
When should you use the Oxford comma?
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.
Do you use the Oxford comma in legal writing?
Lawyers should use the Oxford comma to help avoid ambiguity. Three ambiguities may arise without this comma: Whether the two final items in a list are one combined element or separate.
Does legal writing use the Oxford comma?
Why is the Oxford comma important?
The Oxford comma is the final comma before the conjunction (e.g., and, or) in a series. It’s important to include Oxford commas in your writing because, in English, we also use what are called “commas of direct address” to separate what we’re saying from the person/object we’re addressing.
Why don t lawyers use the Oxford comma?
Usually the Oxford comma is the safest way to avoid ambiguity, though there are no guarantees. But inconsistent use in a single document or across multiple documents invites litigation—so avoid it.
What is the Oxford comma and why is it so important?
It is called the Oxford comma because it was used by printers, readers, and editors at Oxford University Press, which is part of the University of Oxford. In brief, what is also called the Serial Comma or Harvard Comma in American English is a comma inserted before the last item in a list that is preceded by the word and, and sometimes the word or.
Should I be using the Oxford comma?
And if you think that the absence of the Oxford Comma makes a sentence cleaner, a cleaner sentence is useless if it doesn’t make sense. Sure, not all sentences are unclear without it; but some are, and therefore it would be better to use the Oxford Comma at all times for the sake of a uniform rule.
Why do I still use the Oxford comma [fixed]?
People may mistakenly confuse other people for your parents.
Why is Oxford comma called so?
Why the Oxford Comma is called so? It has been called the Oxford or Harvard comma because those two organizations famously promoted it at a time when newspapers routinely omitted it to save line space. It is more properly called the serial comma, and most authorities today agree that it should be used in most cases for two very good reasons.
