The Oxford Comma Decides Who Is Who
A comma marks a small pause in a sentence. The one before the final and in a list can change the meaning entirely.
A comma marks a short pause or separates items in a list. The serial or Oxford comma — the one before *and* in a list of three or more — is optional in British English and standard in much American publishing, and it is not merely decorative: "my parents, Ayn Rand and God" says something very different from "my parents, Ayn Rand, and God". Style guides disagree; the safe rule is to use it whenever its absence creates ambiguity.
- A punctuation mark. *Add a comma here.*
- Oxford comma — before the final and. *The Oxford comma.*
- Comma splice — joining sentences with a comma. *Avoid a comma splice.*
- Comma butterfly — a species with a comma mark. *A comma butterfly.*
- Greek — *komma*, a piece cut off. *The source word.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | comma | One comma. |
| Plural | commas | Too many commas. |
| Compound | comma splice | A comma splice. |
| Compound | Oxford comma | The Oxford comma. |
| Greek | komma | A piece cut off. |
- Let's eat, Grandma.The comma saves Grandma.
- Bread, cheese, and wine.With the Oxford comma.
- It was late, we went home.A comma splice: use a semicolon.
What commas actually do
- Separate list items — red, white and blue
- Mark off an aside — my brother, who lives abroad, called
- Follow an introductory phrase — after the meeting, we left
- Set off direct address — thanks, Anna
- They cannot join two sentences on their own: that is a comma splice
Latin *comma*, from Greek *komma*, a piece cut off, from *koptein*, to cut. It first named a clause, then the mark that ends one.
Should I use the Oxford comma?
It is optional in British English and standard in much American publishing. Use it whenever leaving it out creates ambiguity.
What is a comma splice?
Joining two complete sentences with only a comma. Use a full stop, a semicolon or a conjunction instead.